After the Waltz
by C.Queen
Summary: In times of peace a new enemy arrives but who to trust is unknown. Can Quatre trust the girl who haunts him and what side is Trowa on. Can the boys protect themselves and their loved ones in this battle where lives are at stake.
1. A Kiss Goodbye

NOTE I don't own Gundam Wing or its characters though I wish I did. The characters and their past histories belong to someone else. The characters Keyda, Eve, Darius and J.C. all belong to me as well as the plot of the story. This story features 1R, ZechsNoin, hints of 5S and possible pairings for Quatre and Trowa. Please read and review to let me know what you think. Enjoy! 

A Kiss Good-bye  
  
Trowa winced as he felt his own blood run through his fingers as he forced himself to run down the hallway blindly, running from the soldiers behind him. Applying pressure to his side the young pilot edged around the door and seeing no one stumbled into the next hallway, hoping that it was the right one to chose. Breathing hard Trowa stared blindly left and right, barely seeing it as he struggled to stand up right from loss of blood, knowing that he was in a lot of trouble that was getting worse by the minute.  
"I should have listened to you, Quatre." He muttered as he blinked in dismay around him though his face as always gave nothing away. He was going to die. Leaning up against a wall Trowa slid down it, in too much pain to care anymore about running. Catherine was going to be really mad he thought wearily as he watched the room spin around him. She and Quatre had told him that this mission was a bad idea but he hadn't listened and now he was going to die without even being able to tell her Happy Birthday.

"How badly are you hurt?" Not even bothering to raise his head Trowa remained slumped as he waited to see what the voice would say next. He was beyond caring at the moment who it was or what she wanted.  
"If you're dead I'm going to be really mad." The voice said and with a start Trowa realized that the voice was that of a young girl's, not sounding the least threatening or mean. Turning his head carefully Trowa struggled to make out the face in front of his as it swam and blurred in front of him. Blinking Trowa shook his head; he must have lost more blood then he'd thought. "I'm just going to see how bad it is. You make any move to stop me and your condition is going to get worse real quick." The girl said as she carefully moved his hand away from the wound so that she'd have better access. Trowa winced as he felt her fingers part his shirt and carefully prod the wound, too weak to care to try to stop her. "You're lucky, it went straight through." The girl said as she removed a scarf from her long dark hair and begin to straighten and line up the ends carefully and efficiently.   
  
"What are you doing?" Trowa said suddenly finding the strength to straighten up taking the girl by surprise as she'd thought him nearly dead before. 

"I'm going to use this to stop the bleeding so just keep quiet and with any luck the guards won't find us till you're patched up and in any condition to be seen." The girl said as she used a switchblade that appeared in her hand somehow to cut his shirt away from the wound. Taking the piece of fabric the girl carefully pressed the material against the wound then used her scarf to tie the material in place. "That should work for now." 

"Who are you?" Trowa said as he stared at the girl, too weak even to properly make out her features but getting the impression that she couldn't be much older or younger then himself or at least the age he thought himself to be. 

"My name's Keyda. Now shut up and help me get you off the floor." The girl said as she wrapped her arms around his upper chest. 

"They'll kill you for helping me." Trowa said flatly as he allowed her to pull him to his feet. Surprised at her show of strength Trowa turned towards her, wishing that he could see her face clearly as all of a sudden it seemed important. Who was this girl that had come to his rescue or at least appeared to. It could all be a trick, but somehow he didn't think so. Of course that was pure instinct. "How old are you?"  
"I'll tell you how old I am if you tell me your name handsome." Keyda said with a grin he couldn't see or at least well enough to know that it was a grin. He had most definitely seen better days. 

"I have no name." Trowa said as he struggled to stand without her help, pride and stubbornness being the primary reasons. "Leave me here, I'll wont have your death on my conscious along with what's already there." 

"From where I'm standing you're the one dying not me. So what do you say you do us both a favor and look as sick as possible for whoever is coming." Keyda suggested instead having absolutely no intention of leaving the pilot to die. He was only a boy. 

"Miss Yamachi! What are you doing here? Who is that with you?" One of the soldiers who'd just rounded the corner demanded as they came to a stop in front of Trowa and Keyda. They were heavily armed and Trowa wouldn't have been surprised if they had been the soldiers responsible for his current predicament. Damn why hadn't she left him like he'd told her to. 

"Since when have I not been allowed in my grandfather's home?" Keyda asked as she struggled to keep Trowa standing which was taking every little bit of strength she had in her at the moment. "As to who he is he's... my boyfriend."  
  
Startled Trowa blinked at the girl and wondered what the hell was going on. The soldier had called her Miss Yamachi, which meant that she was probably related to the man that he'd come to rob of some very valuable information. Why was she helping him? 

"What's wrong with him?" The guard demanded as he tried to get a better look at Trowa who had already tucked his head into her shoulder to prevent the guard from possibly recognizing him. It wasn't hard to look sick at all, he was struggling not to pass out as it was. 

"His dad's learning how to cook now that his parents have split and his supper isn't agreeing with him at all. I'm going to go and get Matt to drive him home since he's in no condition to get there by himself. Unless of course there's a problem with that." Keyda said sarcastically as she glared at them with disdain. They wouldn't dare stop her, they valued their lives and jobs too much to cross her. 

"You're not suppose to be in this area. Take your boyfriend and leave." The guard said motioning to the exit, having a bad feeling but not about to question his boss's granddaughter. He wasn't suicidal after all.   
  
"Can you make it?" Keyda said under her breath as she pretended to get a better hold on his waist which she needed to do anyway. 

"Do I have a choice?" Trowa responded under his breath as he pulled himself up straight, ignoring the blinding pain it caused. Together the two walked past the guards and with a slight grin of triumph Keyda opened the door. 

"Don't worry no name, I'm going to get you out of here if it's the last thing I do."   
  
Keyda stared down at the unconscious boy in her arms and sighed. He'd fallen asleep or passed out as soon as she'd gotten directions from him and he now lay against her side as Matt drove through the busy streets. This was definitely not how she'd planned to spend her evening she thought with a twisted smile as she tried to figure out how she was going to explain her absence. I have got to be out of my mind she thought as she wondered how she'd gotten herself into this. Sure she was his granddaughter but that wouldn't matter to Sako Yamachi. His goal was to see Trieze continue his control over Oz and he would not take kindly to his granddaughter rescuing a rebel spy sent to undermine his leader' power. Yet here she was and in all honesty she couldn't regret it.   
  
"You'd better not die on me, Trowa." Keyda whispered as she brushed his hair out of his eyes with gently fingers. The bleeding had finally lessened and provided Trowa's contact was at the meeting place he stood a good chance of making it. Pushing thoughts of what was to come Keyda concentrated on saying long forgotten prayers for the boy beside her. Holding him to her a little tighter Keyda sighed and wondered what the world was coming to that they were sending children out to do a man's job. But he was no child Keyda thought as she watched the traffic race by. He was probably not much older then her but his eyes were that of a warrior, the eyes of a man who's seen far too much in his short time on this earth. Though only fourteen and a half Keyda had a good idea what had put that look in the boy's eyes. Before he'd collapsed she'd asked him his name and in his weakness had whispered the name Trowa.  
"And I'd bet my family's billions that you're the Gundam pilot Zechs Merquise talks about. You're one of the rebels." Keyda said as she shifted so that his head could rest more comfortably on her shoulder. " Tell me Trowa, given your name is it going to be three times a charm or three strikes and we're out."  
  
Turning her head Keyda wished that they were both in a different time and place where war was not an option and the two of them would be busy with schoolwork and the opposite sex instead of attending barely disguised war rallies, fighting and killing in the hopes that it would bring peace. Unfortunately so far it had only bred more violence. 

"Where am I?" Looking down Keyda smiled as his beautiful green eyes stared up at her. He was awake and his eyes were relatively clear. 

"You're on your way home." Keyda replied for the benefit of the driver. Leaning closer Keyda whispered into his ear softly. "We're almost at Gramer Hall."   
  
Trowa just stared at her. He'd been so convinced that she was just a dream or that maybe he'd already died and she was an angel come to take him to judgment. Then again he'd always figured that when he'd die he'd be headed in the opposite direction of heaven; that they wouldn't even bother with judging him. So unless the devil liked to disguise himself as a pretty girl about his age he wasn't dead as of yet.  
  
"We're almost there, Miss Yamachi, where's his house from here?" The driver asked as he stopped at the red light. 

"His street is currently under construction and it's all blocked off so it will be impossible to get near his house. You can just let us out at the Hall and I'll help him get home and then meet you back here. It'll only take a couple of minutes." Keyda said as she met Matt's eyes in the mirror. She didn't want to involve him anymore then she already had. Her grandfather would only forgive the long time employee so much. 

"Yes, Miss." The driver said as the light went green, nodding his head. A few minutes later he pulled the car in front of the building that she'd specified. "Do you want some help getting him home? This is a fairly good neighborhood, the car should be fine on its own." 

"I can handle him, Matt. You better stay and watch the car, just to be on the safe side. I'll be as quick as possible so don't worry, I'll be back in a flash." Keyda said as she helped Trowa from the car, carefully wrapped her arms around him again as they made their way away from the vehicle. 

"Over there." Trowa said biting back a groan as he pointed over to an eroding statue tuck away in the shadows after they'd climbed the stairs and were well out of Matt's and others prying eyes. Buildings making it impossible for anyone to sneak up from behind surrounded the statue on two sides making it rather ideal for its purpose as a meeting place. 

"Interesting choice." Keyda noted as she half walked, half carried him over to the statue he'd indicated. The statue was unrecognizable as anything more then a former human form and Keyda wondered what it had commemorated as they reached it finally. 

"What do you expect in return for helping me?" Trowa said without emotion or signs of pain as she gently helped him lean back against the statue which though crumbling would hold up under his weight better then she could no question. 

"What do you mean?" Keyda asked as she stretched out her cramped muscles while taking in the lack of scenery; and people. Perfect for a meeting between spies she added to herself as she turned back to face him with a curious look though she had the feeling that she knew what he meant. 

"What do you want in return for helping me? I doubt you're expecting money seeing as you're Yamachi's granddaughter." Trowa said as he moved slightly so that he was even more in the shadows and out of sight. If her request was too much he needed to be prepared to leave, possibly putting her out of commission temporarily. If he could, Trowa added to himself as he bit back a groan, his calf having bumped a jagged piece of stone. 

"You think I did this because I want something from you?" Keyda asked with a small sound of amusement. She should probably be insulted except for the fact that she probably would have asked the same thing if the roles were reversed. How sad it was that they'd both automatically assume that the only reason another would help them is because they want something in return. "What do you want?" Trowa asked again as he stared at her from the darkness of the shadows, his face now completely hidden from her as if he were melting into the shadows to become a part of it. Cool trick Keyda thought admiringly.  
  
"Well what do I want?" Keyda said with an exaggerated look as though the idea was a very serious matter to consider. Then an idea popped into her head and Keyda couldn't help but allow a smile to curve her lips. That idea would definitely make up for the tongue-lashing or worse she was going to get when she got home. Besides as Grandfather was fond of telling her, there's nothing gained by being a coward. Taking a deep breath Keyda smile widened as she slowly walked towards Trowa with what she hoped looked like confidence. "I know exactly what I want in return." Keyda said as she came to a stop in front of him with a stare that froze him in his place and wipe all thought of disappearing from his mind. 

"What?" Trowa asked wearily, not sure what her game was but feeling as though he were under some kind of spell that froze him in place.   
  
"This is all that I want in return, Trowa." Keyda said softly as she lifted her hands, placed them on either side of his face then before he could suspect her intent drew his head down and kissed him gently on the lips. Surprised Trowa remained frozen for a minute then slowly forgot that he was currently bleeding from a bullet wound, on a mission and had no business kissing the enemy's granddaughter. Instead all he could think was that this was one debt he was glad to repay and that even if he were to die today he would at least go out with the remembrance of Keyda on his lips. Forgetting everything but her Trowa kissed her back and for a few precious moments they were simply a boy and a girl kissing under the stars without awareness of anything other then each other. But this boy was a seasoned soldier and this girl was no simpleminded fool and so reluctantly they drew back and for a moment stared into each other's eyes before taking a step back. Placing a hand on Trowa's cheek Keyda smiled sadly then slowly pulled her hand away. "Good bye Trowa." Trowa watched her turn and walk away into the night and for the briefest of moments he was tempted to call her back.   
  
Years later

Eve couldn't believe they'd done such terrible things to other human beings, to her. But they had. There was no way in Hell she was going to let them begin again, had sworn to prevent it from happening. She and the others had suffered for over six years and by God they weren't going to let it happen to anyone else. Swearing under her breath Eve leaned up against a nearby tree and stared at the crumbling building that had been her own Hell on earth. Pushing a lock of her now white hair out of her eye Eve cursed the people who'd made it so. "I swear I'll never allow you to rise again Oz. I'll fight you to my dying breath, I swear it." She yelled out loud as she pushed off from the tree and continued down the path. She was heading for a mission that would aid in her mission to keep the peace, even if it wasn't a peaceful mission. Staring at the building responsible for turning her into what she was Eve closed her eyes and silently prayed for those who had not survived their stay behind those walls. So many hadn't. 

Staring into space now Eve wondered how her life had become so different from what she'd planned. She had wanted to be a singer Eve remembered with a sneer. What a joke. Though she had achieved that status she hadn't kept it long. Thanks to Oz her life now revolved around staying alive and ending the lives of others. God it seemed like only yesterday that she'd been a girl practicing her math and now look at her. Wouldn't her mother just roll in her grave. That is if anyone had even bothered to bury her, or if there had even been enough left to bury. Funny Eve thought as she threw a pebble at her reflection sending ripples through the pool. She probably wouldn't be buried either. In her line of work you'd be luck to die quickly and painlessly. Being buried was not a common occurrence. 

Eve really wasn't surprised to see that the area was deserted. Anyone who could read Chinese knew that something wrong had happened here and most considered it cursed and to be forgotten as a dark part of the area's history. "I wonder how long it will take me to infiltrate the Preventers." Eve said under her breath as she moved over to stand under the shade of some trees. Seeing a large rock Eve effortlessly jumped onto its top giving her a view of the land for a fair distance. That's why she'd come, to prepare for her next mission by seeing the building, reminding her of what was at stake.  
You'll wish you'd never created me, Lady Une. You'll rue the day you ever attacked me and my family, destroying it. "Stupid building." Eve suddenly said with anger heavy in her voice as she stared back in blinding hatred at the building. "This is all your fault, you stupid pile of rubble."  
  
"What's the building's fault?" An amused voice said from behind her and turning around Eve stared at the boy who was standing too close to her for comfort. The boy obviously wasn't Chinese with his brown hair and blue eyes, he showed no curiosity or interest towards the building meaning he probably hadn't been able to read the signs. She'd sensed his presence long before he'd spoken but she'd hoped that he would leave once he realized she wasn't interested in company. "What do you want?" Eve said as she tried to decide whether or not to walk away or stand her ground and ignore the stupid boy. Eyeing him carefully Eve quickly jumped from the rock and landed just beside the boy with determination in her eyes as she watched her prey carefully. 

"Nice moves." The boy said grinning at Eve as he gestured towards the rock with a charming grin. Obviously the kid was slow to realize and understand things. 

"Don't you know that this area is off limits to pedestrians." Eve said grabbing him by the shoulder and with a slight push sent him shuffling a safe distance away from the security lines. "There are security alarms all over the place and if you set them off you'll be in a Hell of a lot of trouble." 

"Geez you didn't need to get pushy." The boy said as he pushed a lock of his brown hair out of the way. "And if no one's allowed here why are you here having a conversation with a building. Seems to me that means you should be in a mental hospital instead of sulking around here attacking defenseless pedestrians." 

"I was not having a conversation with the building and it's done all the damage it can to me already so I don't think it matters if I wander around here, especially since I won't get caught doing it like you would." 

Eve said sarcastically as she brushed past the boy to leave. She'd been working on controlling her temper lately and this dumb kid was certainly trying it. 

"Hey, what's your name oh cursed one." The boy said dramatically before going into a stupid little bow. "I'm Duo Maxwell by the way." 

"None of your business." Eve said shortly as she picked up her backpack that she'd left beside a tree. If this was Duo Maxwell the Gundam pilot it would be in her best interest to stay away from him for the time being. They'd be meeting up later on anyway and the less contact they had now the easier meeting later would be. 

"Well None of your business, what's the building done to you lately?" Duo asked with another dramatic flourish, enjoying riling her as she rather reminded him of his best friend. "Does it turn you into a frog at night, can't get a date, related to the Wuman?" 

"None of those things." Eve said as she shifted the pack on her back, finding him more annoying by the second. "Stay away from this building too, it's a health hazard." 

"Say mind if I walk back with you? I kinda got lost and I need to get back before the guys send out a search party." Duo said as he fell into steps beside his new interest, unconcerned with the fact that she obviously didn't want his company. "You wouldn't by any chance have a long lost relative by the name of Heero Yuy would you?" 

"I don't believe so." Eve said as she picked up the pace, hoping that the chatterbox wouldn't be able to keep up. Unfortunately he could. Imagine comparing her to Heero Yuy too, Eve thought as she went on a slow boil. She was nothing like that suicidal, gun toting maniac. The only thing they did have in common was a love of guns and that was it. 

"So why are you here? Where are you headed? Why were you talking to the building? "Duo asked who was quite used to being ignored thanks to Heero and Wufei. Besides he was a naturally curious person and there was something about this girl that sparked his interest. 

"I don't see how that's any of your business." Eve stated before she suddenly was overcome with dizziness which was never good as it was often a sign that she needed her medication. A while ago. 

"Hey you all right, Beautiful?" Duo asked as he grabbed onto Eve's waist as she began to wobble a little. She didn't look so good all of a sudden. 

"I'm just fine." Eve stated before she collapsed in a heap against Duo. 

"You'd better not be dead, Pal." Duo said as he slugged his new unconscious friend over his shoulder and hoped that this road would take him to Chang's house soon. "I don't think Wo-man will be happy if I bring a corpse home."  
  
"Is she dead?" Duo asked as he leaned over to get a better look at his new friend. She was quite beautiful and he'd intended to ask her out when he'd first seen her but he had a feeling that wouldn't have gone over well at all with Ms No Name. So instead he'd see if she wanted to be his new friend and then they could see about proving that she was related to Heero because they could be twins personality wise. 

"No Duo, she's just exhausted and tired." Sally said as she tucked the bed covers around the young girl currently resting soundly. "She just needs to rest." 

"When will she be able to leave?" Wufei asked from the doorway as he frowned at the still unconscious and unexpected house guest. There was something about her that made him feel uncomfortable, like she wasn't what she seemed to be at all. 

"Wufei!!!" Sally and Duo said together as they glared at him. 

"If it's inconvenient I'll leave now." Eve said weakly as she sat up in bed. She didn't recognize any of the voices besides that of the longhaired and obnoxious boy she'd met by the building so she aimed her question for him. 

"You're in no condition to be out by yourself." Sally said as she laid a gentle hand on Eve's shoulder, carefully forcing her to lay down. "You'll stay here till you're in better shape." 

"I have a friend nearby, I can go and stay with her. I was headed there anyway and I wouldn't want to put you out." Eve said as she brushed her bangs away from her face. 

"Are you sure?" Duo said with a slightly concerned look. "Maybe you'd better stay here where Sally can take care of you." 

Eve actually managed a smile at him but shook her head. "I'll be fine there, Keyda will take good care of me. If you have a phone I'll call her now and she can send someone to get me." 


	2. Things Change and Don't

> Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and the original characters. Please read and review. Thanks very much. 
> 
> Things Change and Don't 
> 
> Twenty-one year old Keyda Yamachi pushed a few stray hairs away from her face and leaned back into her seat. "She'd better be all right." She muttered as she rubbed her neck. Her best friend had a habit of running herself ragged if given a chance and she was notorious for her habit of driving herself to exhaustion. That is if she was really in trouble. Though peace had finally come six years ago to the earth and colonies there were still many who sought to destroy and thanks to her grandfather's political views some of that need to destroy and gain revenge on Oz had spilt off onto her. But if this was such a threat then they were doomed to failure.  
  
"We're almost at the address, Miss Yamachi." Matt, her father's old driver said as he turned down a dirt road into the country.  
  
"Thank you, Matt." Keyda said as she crossed her legs in front of her. Matt had been her driver for so long Keyda wondered what she would ever do when he retired. He'd always been there when she needed him anyway, more so then any one else in her life besides the other Guardians. All the money in the world and I'd trade it all in for a real family, Keyda thought with a touch of self-pity.  
  
"We're here, Miss Yamachi." Matt said as they pulled into a driveway. Keyda pulled off her dark sunglasses and stared at the cabin emerging from behind the trees and thought it was a very strange setting for a fight if that's what it would come to.  
  
"Well she picked a good place to collapse anyway." She said to Matt as they came to a slow stop. Keyda watched as Matt got out of the car then accepted his hand out as she smiled at the beautiful land and wished that she could stay. The cabin was small but had a welcoming nature to it, unlike its owner according to Eve who claimed the man Wufei was even more serious then her grandfather was crazy.  
  
"Hello there!" Keyda turned to see a young man with long brown hair tied back in a braid walking towards her with what could only be termed a swagger. Seeing the grin that took over his handsome face Keyda slipped her shades back over her eyes and walked up to meet him halfway taking in every little detail as she did. If this is some kind of trap boyo, she thought mentally to the man smiling down at her then he'd better be prepared to leave here in a body bag.  
  
"Are you lost?" The man asked as he grinned at her with the devilish charm of a seasoned Romeo used to charming females. Well I'm equally talented at wrapping men around my little finger blue eyes so you can just save the routine for someone stupid enough to buy it, Keyda thought as she shook her head at his question.  
  
"No, I'm here to pick up someone?" Keyda said as she allowed herself to grin back at him. He was obviously harmless and slightly slow she though as he continued to stared at her, he'd be easy to overpower if necessary. If this is all they have left to throw at her she had nothing to worry about.  
  
"Really? Come on in." The man said as he gallantly held out his elbow. Raising her eyebrow Keyda accepted his elbow and followed him up the stairs and into the cabin.
> 
> "Sally, Wufei, Keyda's here." The man called as they entered the main hallway. "I'm Duo Maxwell by the way." The man who's name was apparently Duo added as he led her into a small bedroom where she found her long time friend looking at her in relief.  
  
"Thank God." Eve said as she smiled at her friend. "What took you so long?" At first she'd been worried but luckily she'd had her contacts in and no one had taken them out. Otherwise they'd have gotten a shock, Eve thought with a small smile.  
  
"You look like hell, girl." Keyda said as she pulled shades up onto her head then and with a shake of her head walked over and bent down to take in the damage. "Well at least you're in one piece this time."  
  
"Yea yea lets go okay." Eve said already reaching for her jacket and shoes.  
  
"You're, Keyda?" Keyda turned and was met by a pair of dark black eyes. Warrior to warrior they took each other's measure and with a slight smile Keyda acknowledged that here was someone worth her attention. Unlike the brunette this man was a born warrior and not a trained one. Chinese obviously and with the pride and confidence that went with it.  
  
"Yes I am." Keyda said giving him a slight bow of acknowledgment as she stood slightly in front of Eve, just in case. "And you are?"  
  
"Chang Wufei." The man replied with a slight bow, his eyes never leaving hers.  
  
"One of the last. I'm sorry for your loss, I knew several of your clan and called them friend."  
  
Keyda said as she relaxed her stance. She had heard about this pilot from Trowa and knew he wouldn't have called her here under false pretenses, his sense of honor wouldn't have allowed it.  
  
"Thank you for your words." Wufei said as he accepted her condolences. She hadn't been what he'd expected and he found she caught his interest. She'd arrived here like a queen with her limo and designer clothing yet she came jokingly to her friend's bedside and stood like a guardian angel over her. An enigma, Wufei thought as he watched her watch him. Her eyes revealed nothing and Wufei wondered if that was her usual face or if it was just for him.
> 
> "Wufei?" Wufei turned to see Sally in the doorway and realized that he and the girl had been staring at each other for almost a minute without speaking.  
  
"Sally this is Keyda. Keyda this is Sally Po." Duo said who was quite confused. He didn't think Keyda or Wufei was interested in the other romantically but then why had they been staring at each other like that? Heck Duo couldn't remember any female looking at Wufei romantically once they'd met up with his personality. What gives he wondered as he watched Sally and Keyda look each other over.  
  
"Hello." Keyda said as she held out her hand to the blonde woman. She was quite beautiful and Keyda wondered which one of the males she belonged to. If she were to lay down money she'd guess Wufei, she looked too smart to be interested in the playboy however good-looking he was.  
  
"Nice to meet you." Sally replied as she shook the other woman's hand. "You'll be the one take care of her?" she asked as she watched her patient struggle to get her shoes on without help.  
  
"Yep, I've had a lot of practice doing it." Keyda said wearily as she turned back to accept the bag Eve had thrown at her while her back was turned. To everyone's surprise the girl not only caught it easily but also slugged the obviously heavy bag over her shoulder as if she did it every day.  
  
"Your friend's completely exhausted and needs her rest and a lot of liquids. I've given her some medication if she can't get to sleep, make sure she takes it." Sally said as she smiled at the younger girl. There was something familiar about her but she couldn't place it. It would come to her later.  
  
"No problem. So how come you're not sleeping stupid? Last time I checked you could sleep any time, anywhere at the drop of a hat." Keyda said as she watched her friend sway slightly before making it to stand by her side. The medicine would be of no use but she doubted the blonde would believe her if she said Eve's system would chew it up and spit it out.  
  
"Oh shut up, brat." Eve said as she scolded down at her. Sticking out her tongue at the term brat Keyda held back the urge to whack her upside the head. That could wait till she was in good enough condition not to collapse dead if she did.  
  
"Thanks for taking care of the moron here, what do we owe you." Keyda said reaching into her purse for her checkbook, wondering what they would charge her.  
  
"You owe us nothing." Wufei said as he held the door open for them to pass through making it quite clear he'd accept nothing for his hospitality.  
  
"Thank you." Keyda said knowing that his pride would only be more bruised if she insisted. "And she'd say thank you to if she wasn't such a moron."  
  
"I was getting to that stupid. Geez what was God thinking when he invented you anyway? Nothin but trouble." Eve said with a peeved look. "Thanks for your help..all of you. "You did good Ms Po."  
  
"No problem." Duo said as he grinned at them. "You're sure you don't want to stay for lunch?"  
  
"Thanks but we better be going." Keyda said with a truly sorry smile. What ever was cooking smelled good but her grandfather's men would send the soldiers after her if she was late getting home. "Maybe another time." Once again stating their thanks Keyda and Eve made their way to the limo without trouble. Sighing Keyda gave Eve a warning look then slid in after her. "Thanks again for your help."  
  
"We never got your last name." Duo said thinking that maybe he'd call her up later on to see how no name was doing.  
  
"Yamachi." Keyda said and judged by their faces when they made the connection Keyda doubted Duo would be calling her or looking her up someday. Unless of course it was to blow her to kingdom come that is.
> 
> Trowa Barton wished that the lion would just shut up and listen. He didn't have all day and this guy was being particularly trying on his patience.  
  
"Trowa, phone." Catherine Bloom said as she walked into the ring where Trowa was working with the latest addition to their family. "It's Duo."  
  
Shaking his head Trowa grabbed hold of the Lion's leash and led him back into its cage with the rest of the lions. "What does he want?" Trowa asked as he made sure that the lion was going to behave before turning to face his sister.  
  
"He didn't say." Catherine said as she shrugged her shoulders. Seeing as Duo normally talked the ear off of anyone he happened to be talking to Trowa wiped a hand across his brow then with a small salute headed out of the ring to the nearby trailer. Putting his key in Trowa opened his door then headed straight for his computer system. Keying in several numbers Trowa hooked up to Duo's communicator. Seconds later his friend's smiling face appeared before him.  
  
"Hey, buddy. How's it going?" Duo asked as he grinned at his friend.  
  
"I'm fine, what's up?" Trowa said cutting to the chase. He was sweaty and irritated and all he wanted to do was take a break and play his flute a bit in peace.  
  
"Well you know how we've been trying to track down Sako Yamachi?" Duo said as he grinned at Trowa. Boy was Trowa ever going to be surprised.  
  
"What about him?" Trowa said. They'd been trying to track him down for years to bring him in on suspected terrorism in the colonies and on earth. He just won't accept that the war's over Trowa though and wondered if Keyda thought the same. Keyda.  
  
"Well I ran into his granddaughter Keyda and she owes us a favor!" Duo said excitedly as he watched Trowa's expression go from nothing to surprise then to an emotion Duo couldn't read it was so fleeting before Trowa's face reverted to its usual mask.  
  
"What kind of favor?" Trowa said carefully as he kept his face blank at the mentioning of her name. No one could know.  
  
"I saved a friend of hers so now she owes us." Duo said but with slightly less enthusiasm and a lot more curiosity. Something didn't feel right here and he'd bet his new car that it had to do with Trowa's reaction to Keyda's name. Trowa had shown emotion when he'd said her name, why was that?  
  
"Is that what you called to tell me? What makes you think she'll honor her debt?" Trowa said as he watched Duo stare back at him with curiosity. I must have given something away in my expression Trowa thought.  
  
"Well it might work." Duo said without any enthusiasm now. Something was up and he wanted to know what it was. "I'll call you back later with news. See ya." And with that hung up.  
  
"This can't be good." Trowa said as he watched the view screen go blank. He'd worked far to hard to hide his encounters with Keyda and now it looked like Duo was set on bring it forward. "I can't allow that to happen. Keyda's life depends upon it."
> 
> "Then what happened?" Lady Une said as she crossed her legs behind her desk as she listened to the young ensign's report on the latest mission.  
  
"They opened fire but by the time we got near them they were all dead ma'am." The ensign said as he stood as straight as possible.  
  
"Any signs of who beat you to it." Lady Une said already partly knowing the answer.  
  
"They left their calling card again ma'am. It was the Guardians." The ensign said as he watched his leader rub her eyes defectively. "I'm sorry ma'am."  
  
"You're dismissed." Lady Une said as she watched the young boy walk out of her office. He was young and had never fought in the war. Lady Une wondered what that was like, to be free of the guilt and pain war caused to its victims no matter the side. Who are you? She wondered as she fingered the card that the ensign had left on her desk. Even before the war had officially ended the cards had begun to appear. She wondered who sent it, how many were there and most importantly whose side were they on. "They know everything we do." Lady Une said out loud as she stood up and walked to stand in front of the large window behind her desk. We have a leak Lady Une thought as she stared out into the darkening sky. "Who are you Guardian, and what's your game."
> 
> Eve smiled into the mirror. God I look so innocent I could puke she thought as she straightened her necklace so that it was perfectly straight against her suit. She'd decided on mousy brown hair and dull green eyes for this mission and Eve was quite sure that no one would be looking at her with anything more then pity. More importantly no one would think to wonder about her. "I'm all set for my first day as Eve Jackson, new assistant to the Vice Foreign Peace Minister Relena Peacecraft Yuy. Staring up into the Preventers building Eve pasted a sweet smile on her face and entered the building looking like a young carefree girl rather then a cold hearted assassin who was there to complete a mission. Looking around Eve took in the buildings main hall, checking to make sure it fit the blueprints she'd read over before hand.  
  
"Can I help you? You look a little lost." Turning around Eve looked innocently up at the young man who had spoken to her. What a hunk Eve thought as she shyly looked at him. To bad you're a pacifist, Eve added as she recognized him as Quatre Winner, pacifist extrodinare.  
  
"No I was just looking around." Eve said as she gazed around as though taking it all in. "A girl could get lost really easy around here."  
  
"No kidding." Quatre said as he smiled at her. She was kinda cute in a bookish sort of way. "I'm Eve by the way. Eve Jackson." Eve said in a sugary sweet voice as she stuck out her hand with a fine blush on her cheeks.  
  
"Quatre Winner." Quatre said as he shook her offered hand. "You're Relena's new assistant right?"  
  
"That's right, Mr. Winner." Eve said as she smiled back at him. Just then the elevator across the room opened up and a young woman walked out. Careful to keep her face composed Eve inwardly thought how easy it would be to kill her now. One bullet to the head would be all it would take and you'd be dead Lady Une, dead like all of your victims. Deliberately looking back at Quatre Eve sent him another false smile then mumbling a good bye headed straight for the elevator. "Excuse me." Eve said as deliberately bumped into Lady Une, pressing a homing device to her as she went by.  
  
"No problem." Lady Une said as she stared at the girl who smiled apologetically back at her.  
  
There was something strange about her but for the life of her she couldn't figure out what it was that made her weary.  
  
"Excuse me." Eve said as she walked into the elevator. As soon as the doors closed Eve allowed her false smile drop and the hatred to unleash in her eyes. So calm and cool she thought as she pictured Lady Une, completely at easy with the monster she is. Remembering the mission though Eve once again slipped on her false face on and prepared for act two and put all thoughts of killing Lady Une out of her mind, for now.
> 
> Meanwhile
> 
> "What are you up to Lady Une." Keyda said out loud as she read over the information Eve had sent her about an upcoming mission. "Why are you so interested in that particular building?" Pushing her chair back Keyda wondered how to proceed. Without knowing what her plan was Keyda was weary to send any of her soldiers to check it out. What should I do? came across her screen as Eve finished transmitting the information. Find out what it is about the building that's got her attention. For now we'll leave it alone Keyda typed in as she scanned the screen. Do you still want me to break into the Preventers office tonight to see what I can get a hold of? Eve typed back. If you think its safe enough proceed. Keyda typed back as she rubbed her hand over her neck. Understood. Eve typed back before signing off.


	3. Blue Eyed Boy

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and the original characters as usual. This fic is not a 3/4 btw, there is no yaoi. 

Blue Eyed Boy  
  
Eve couldn't believe this was happening to her. Not only had she successfully infiltrated the Preventers, managed to break in without setting off any alarms AND find all the information she needed only to have some idiot trip the alarms. "Who ever you are I'm going to see you in a hell of a lot of pain if it's the last thing I do." Eve whispered under her breath as she hurried towards her escape route. She'd been on her way out when the moron had set off the alarms and now the place was being sealed up tighter then Keyda's grandfather's money. Seeing a shadow move out of the corner of her eye Keyda moved just in time, breaking into a run as a chunk of plaster went flying. Quickly Eve ducked just as the bullets went whizzing past her head and into the walls sending wood and more plaster flying everywhere. Cursing the work of amateurs she headed straight for the elevator and nearly ran right into Quatre who'd just come around the corner from the opposite direction. Pushing him into the wall Eve plastered herself to him as more bullets whizzed by them with millimeters to spare, bullets that would have killed him if she hadn't gotten to him first. Pressing the nearby elevator button Eve returned the shots with some of her own as the elevator doors slide open wide, the bullets hitting home causing her prey to scream in anger and pain as he fell to the floor to avoid the rest of them.

Grabbing his arm Eve practically threw Quatre into the elevator and then hurled herself in after him as the doors closed shut behind her. Breathing hard Eve jumped back onto her feet as quickly as she had fallen and pulling a deadly looking blade from her side pointed its tip at Quatre who'd been in the process of getting up as well. "Stay there and don't move." She growled as she looked around her to evaluate her situation. Swearing Eve estimated that she'd need a boost if she was to reach the safety hatch overhead and that just pissed her off even more. Turning back to him Eve eyed Quatre and wondered whether or not she should kill him now, later or at all. Of course I'm going to kill him Eve said to herself as she stared into his eyes with a coolness that chilled Quatre's blood. Just because he's the nicest guy you've ever met and has the most beautiful baby blue eyes you've ever seen is no reason to let him live, Eve thought before she thought before she though better of it. Which only made her want to bash her head into the elevator more to knock some sense into herself since she'd obviously lost quite a bit of it along the way. There was just something about him that reminded her of her dad and brothers, that gentleness and just plain goodness in their eyes. Trustworthy eyes. Shaking her head as if to clear it Eve walked closer to him until they were almost nose to nose, staring intently into his eyes through her shades which made Quatre want to squirm. "Listen up Winnnnnn." Before she could even complete his last name Eve felt the elevator lurch under them sending them backwards with a crash and sending the inside into darkness to add fuel to the fire.Groaning Quatre opened his eyes with a fair amount of effort and realized that he now had the hunter trapped. Under me that is, Quatre thought wearily as he pushed himself up on his hands to look down at his captured thief who he would imagine was glaring up at him though he couldn't see her doing it. "What the hell!" Quatre said as he realized that though it was pitch black there was two glowing orbs like two large fireflies hovering where he'd guess her head should be if they'd fallen correctly and judging from the body he felt under his they had. Thinking about that was a bad idea though because he had a feeling that if she could she would have kneed him by now for this. Not that he'd planned it this way of course and he would have let her up only she would likely go for his throat if he did.  
  
"Would you mind getting off of me please?" The girl said sounding none to please about her current position and Quatre had a feeling he'd be in serious trouble whether he followed her instructions or not. Though laying on her was a lot nicer then the floor, Quatre thought for a fleeting moment then hurriedly pushed that thought away.  
  
"And are you going to cut out my throat if I do?" Quatre said almost playfully as he placed his hands more firmly on her shoulder blades as he levered himself so that enough of his body was on hers to keep her pinned but not too much. If she wanted a fight he'd give her one, girl or no girl, at least this way he had a slight advantage.  
  
"Let's just put it this way, Winner. Either you get off or I'll make you beg me to kill you in every language you speak." Eve said as she deliberately pricked him in the arm with the blade she'd managed to keep hold of when they'd fallen. She was pissed off for several reasons now and they were mounting on top of each other. She'd actually said please get off me and now here she was being pinned to the ground by someone like Winner. Not to mention the fact that she was liking this pinned position far too much and if he didn't get off now she might do something stupid like go all soft and mushy.  
  
"Point taken." Quatre said and shot to his feet taking her with him as he wrapped his arms around her arms to keep her pinned that way. Keeping a firm grip on her Quatre realized that the glowing lights he'd seen were coming from where her eyes should be, or at least that was what his brain was telling him. "Are those your eyes glowing in the dark?"  
  
"Yea so what?" Eve said as she glared at him despite the fact that he couldn't see the warning and heat in them though he could likely feel it. Mentioning her eyes was a sure way to get her even more riled and Eve braced for the insults or comments that were sure to follow which would force her to have to kill him.  
  
"Why are they glowing?" Quatre said as he attempted to start a conversation to keep her mind off killing him and figuring that eye color would be a safe enough topic and besides he was curious as to why they glowed. "I've never seen anyone with glowing eyes before."  
  
"They're glowing because your friend Lady Une and her minions had me pumped full of chemicals that mutated my eyes so that they'd do this though I believe their intent was simply to make us see in the dark. Nice huh?" Eve said as she looked anywhere but at him. She'd expecting him to make some insulting comment on her eyes not ask questions about them. Nobody politely asked her questions about them like they were simply unusual and not a freak of nature. Which is what they were..which was what she was.  
  
"Lady Une did what?" Quatre said wishing very much that he could see her face, needing to be able to at least try to read it. What did she mean Lady Une had pumped her full of chemicals? Loosening his hold slightly on her Quatre was thinking that maybe she wasn't so bad and waited for her to confirm what she'd said. For an answer Quatre received a nice right hook to the stomach which made him let her go which was exactly what she wanted.Gasping for breath Quatre stared up at her in the dim light and tried to ignore the fact that he felt like he'd been hit by a truck. Damn but she had one hell of a punch going there.

"I didn't give you permission to touch me." Eve said as an explanation as she circled the elevator looking much like one of Trowa's cats that had been cooped up to long in its cage. Just then the lights flickered on and Quatre couldn't help but notice that she quickly turned her head away from him as soon as the light had begun to flicker on. Hiding her face from him, or perhaps simply her eyes from him.  
  
"I'll remember that." Quatre said as he stood up straight despite the protest of his ribs as he watched her trying to look at him without having to turn her face to look directly at him. "So what do you say I have a name to go with the bruised ribs seeing as you apparently already know who I am." Quatre added with a slightly crooked smile as he made an effort to put her at ease. There was nothing worse then being with someone armed who was also nervous and on edge. A dangerous combination to be sure.  
  
"You can call me Si Hanta or Night, your pick." Eve said as she began to remove her jacket, still keeping her back to him so that he wouldn't be able to see her eyes or a good look at her face for later reference. Though the glasses didn't do much they still made it harder to get a sense of what she'd look like without them.  
  
"That's Japanese for death hunter, isn't it?" Quatre said as he watched her remove her tee shirt to reveal a very skimpy tube top underneath. Thief or not she had a first class body, Quatre thought before he realized what he was thinking. God he must be hanging around Duo too much he thought as he forced himself to look every where but her which didn't help since he already had the image of her stuck in his head making him feel about two feet tall. 

Noticing out of the corner of her eye Eve allowed herself a small cat smile as she acknowledge what he was likely thinking and stored away the knowledge that he found her attractive in the small recess of what remained of her heart where such things still mattered. "That's right." Eve finally said as she scooped up her clothing and stuffed them into the bag she'd brought with her full of her tools. Taking her spare set of shades out of her bag Eve quickly slipped them on with a sigh of relief before turning back to face Quatre once more.  
  
"Why did your parents call you that then? Does it have another meaning?" Quatre said trying to follow the conversation but having a hard time of it now that she'd turned around to face him giving him a view of exactly what his companion looked like. And damn if she didn't have a face to go along with the body which was even better from the front then from the back and side.  
  
"That's the name the scientists gave us. I have another name that my parents gave me but I don't give it out to guys I've just met." Eve said sarcastically as she stretched her arms over her head calling to Quatre's attention exactly how little the top covered. God kill me now and I die a happy man, Quatre thought as he watched her arch her back before calmly pulling out another blade from her boot and slowly came walking towards him. Preparing for the worst Quatre raised an eyebrow in surprise when she simply walked past him and headed straight for the controls to the elevator.  
  
"What are you going to do?" Quatre said as he watched her remove the control panel from the wall and begin sorting through the wires inside.  
  
"I'm going to try to get this thing moving and then I'll let someone know you're in here so that you can go home and rest up for your meetings and important speeches tomorrow." Eve said with a smirk as she pushed a couple locks of white hair out of her eyes before turning her attention back to what she was doing. "Feel free to strip." 

"Excuse me!" Quatre said as his eyebrows shot up to his forehead. Did she just say what he'd thought she'd said?  
  
"It's hot in here. The last thing I need is for you to keel over on me so lose the jacket and shirt, you'll be more comfortable." Eve said and realized with a start that she was blushing. She was actually blushing and she hadn't done it on purpose either. This was not good, definitely not good. She hadn't blushed over a guy since the war and of all the guys in the world she had to blush over it had to be the King of Pacifism to boot. Oh you're slipping girl and slipping fast, Eve thought to herself.  
  
Smiling a little at her blush Quatre did as she suggested and quickly removed the jacket followed closely by his shirt. Rubbing a hand on the back of his neck Quatre had to admit he felt a lot better without them on though he wasn't use to standing around without his shirt on with a girl in the room.  
  
That was the stupidous idea I've ever had, Eve thought as she watched him remove his shirt, throwing it into a pile with his jacket. Now not only am I stuck in an elevator with a guy women would pay to date but now he's minus a shirt and making my mouth water! How is a girl suppose to keep cool under these kind of conditions and talk about well built! You wouldn't think someone who worked in an office all day would have such a nice bod. And she was acting like a stupid hormone driven teenager. What the Hell was it about this guy anyway, he wasn't a;; that. She'd seen better looking-a lot better looking. So what was it about Blue Eyes that was doing her in? "Definitely not good." Eve muttered just as she narrowly missed slicing her finger off as she tried to pretend she wasn't admiring Quatre's well developed chest.  
  
"Did you cut yourself?" Quatre said as he hunkered down beside her in concern as he completely forgot that she probably wouldn't take kindly to any help, especially from him. Carefully taking her smaller hand in his own he pulled out his handkerchief from his back pocket and pressed it to the small cut she'd made on her finger, glad it wasn't anything more serious.  
  
"I'm fine." Eve said not at all use to people worrying about her anymore. Staring at her hand cradled so gently in his Eve remembered her father had been like that when she or one of her siblings had gotten hurt. He'd been gentle and soothing too. Her family! Like lightning Eve pulled her hand out of his and backed away from him till her back hit the side of the elevator. It was because of her family that she was doing this. Because of her family that she had to stay away from people, especially from good looking pacifists like him. He would screw her focus, interfere.  
  
"Leave me alone." Eve said with a threatening look on her face as she looked at Quatre with anger and a little bit of fear in her eyes though he couldn't see that through the shades. "Don't touch me ever again or you're going to end up dead. Got that, Buster?"  
  
"Okay, okay." Quatre said holding up his hands away from her to show that he wouldn't try to touch her again. Unless of course she was trying to kill him in which case he was going to have to. "I promise not to touch you. Are you okay though?"  
  
"I'm just fine thank you very much." Eve said as she glared at him from beneath her eyelashes as she got her emotions under control with effort. "I'm getting out of here and like I said before I'll get someone to help you. I'll need a boost though, I can't get the elevator to start up again so I'm gonna have to get out through the hatch." Eve added hating the fact that she had to ask.

"In order to give you a boost I'd have to touch you." Quatre said quietly as he watched her pace anxiously and would have given a great deal of money to know what she was thinking though he had a feeling it might relate to causing him a great deal of bodily harm.  
  
"I'll allow it in order to reach the hatch." Eve said as she faced him squarely, her hair covering the right side of her face completely making her look even younger then she probably was. She didn't look that much older then himself or maybe even younger for that matter  
  
"Okay." Quatre said as he walked over to her until he was under the hatch, not looking forward to the bending down since his stomach still hurt more then a little bit. Not that he was going to admit it of course. "Just tell me one thing before you go." He added as he stared at her as she approached him cautiously, like a stray dog who was being called over by a stranger.  
  
"What now, Winner?" Eve said as she braced her arms on his broad shoulders, approving of the muscles that bunched ever so slightly under her touch. And who said he was nothing but a pretty face Eve thought as she forced herself to turn back her attention to Quatre's face which was unfortunately just as nice to look at.  
  
"Why did you save me back there?" Quatre said as he turned his hands so that she could use them as an extra lift to reach the top. He hadn't done this with a full grown women before so hopefully he didn't pull his back outdoing this. He did it with his nieces and nephews all the time and he did work out-occassionally.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Eve said as she placed her feet into his hands and prepared to push off so that she'd get the extra height she'd need to reach her target.  
  
"You could have just left me out there to die. Instead you shielded me with your own body and pushed me into the elevator to prevent him from getting another shot at me. Why? Why go to all that trouble for a guy you've never met and don't seem to like particularly?" Quatre asked with a curious look on his face as he peered into her shades. "Hmm?"  
  
Eve turned her eyes from the ceiling down so that she was looking at him. She didn't intend to ever see him again in her normal form so really what was the point in lying. Why not answer him truthfully since there was no reason she couldn't? "I saved you Quatre Winner because you have the most beautiful blue eyes I've ever seen and I have no idea why that makes any difference but it does." Eve said just as she pushed off hard and went shooting straight up and with enough speed that she pushed the hatch open and went flying out of the elevator and onto the top of it with relative ease before heading off of it to keep her promise as well as get the Hell out of the building..  
  
"Hey!!!!!!!!" Quatre yelled as he watched Eve fly out the hatch. "What did you say?!!!!"


	4. Evilness of Man

> Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but original characters and plot. 
> 
> Evilness of Man 
> 
> "She saved you because she liked your eye color?" Relena said as she stared at her long time friend in disbelief. Taking another sip of her juice Relena couldn't help but giggle at the look on Quatre's face. It was priceless and Relena wished she'd been there to see what had gone on in that elevator or even better had the chance to talk with this thief.  
  
"I'm serious. That's what she said, Relena." Quatre said as he watched the repair crew begin working on the elevator. It was the morning after the elevator incident and he still couldn't get her parting words out of his head which was beginning to annoy him. She'd saved him because of his eyes? And what was with the comments about Lady Une and the scientists? What is going on here and why can't I get her out of my mind, Quatre wondered to himself in frustration.  
  
"Hey Quatre, anyone home?" Duo said as he came over to whack him on the back as he appeared out of nowhere. "Heard you got stuck in the elevator with one of the thieves, you okay, Man?"  
  
"I'm fine and they weren't together." Quatre said as he pushed the button for the working elevator with a bit more force then was strictly necessary. "The thieves I mean. They were working separately."  
  
"How do you know that?" Duo asked as the door slide open and the three quickly got in and had it closed before anyone else could get in to squish them in the tiny box.  
  
"I'll explain during the meeting. I can't be sure but I'd lay money I'm right on this one unless they set it all up but I can't see that being the case." Quatre said distantly, his eyes showing him to be deep in thought. Why was he so curious about the girl? She'd been like a puppy who'd been kicked one to many times and had decided that it was better to bite then let anyone else get close enough to kick. "That's it." Quatre said in a bare whisper. "That's why I feel like this." I simple feel protective because she seems so alone and hard, Quatre finished in thought.  
  
"Feel like what?" Duo asked as the doors slide open, a curious look on his face as he watched his long time friend. There was something different about Quatre but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.  
  
"Nothing." Quatre said as he walked out thinking that it had to be his protective instincts kicking in. That was the only reason why he couldn't get her out of his head. After all what else could it be?  
  
"How are you, Quatre?" Noin asked as she walked over to meet them followed closely by a new cadet who'd been assigned to work under her. "I heard about what happened last night, close call huh?"  
  
"I'm fine, you guys don't need to worry." Quatre said reassuringly, putting on a wide smile for them. "I don't believe we've met cadet, I'm Quatre Winner." Quatre said holding his hand out to the new cadet hoping to distract everyone from last night's meeting. Smiling charmingly the cadet returned the handshake but then moved back to Noin's side as though it were a given that that was where he belonged. Raising an eyebrow Quatre followed his friends into the meeting room and sat down in his chair. 
> 
> "Now that everyone's here, Quatre would you mind explaining what happened last night?" Lady Une asked from the head of the table. "Anything at all that might be helpful?" 
> 
> "Yes ma'am." Quatre said as he stood up, putting his thoughts in order. "Wufei and I had been out on the town doing some work and I realized I'd forgotten a couple of files I needed to look over for today so Wufei and I came here to pick them up. When we reached the fourth floor we got out and were on the way to my office when the alarms went off signaling an intruder. Wufei saw someone running out of the corner of his eye and went running after him while I took the opposite direction to cut the intruder off. The assailant apparently got away from Wufei and had taken to firing his gun at another thief who I believe had also infiltrated Preventers earlier. The other thief was female and when we almost collided she pulled me out of the line of fire and prevented me from being hit by the other intruder. She then pushed me into the elevator and the male thief shot up the control panel to prevent us from getting out. The female thief didn't try to harm me and I helped her get out the hatch so that she could go for help since there was no other way and she seemed to becoming more agitated and trigger happy as the minutes passed by. I know I probably shouldn't have but she did lead the security guards to the elevator and never once attempted to cause anyone other then the other thief harm." Quatre finished which was the basic truth with a few things left off. Sure she'd threatened to hurt him but she'd never actually tried anything serious.  
  
"Do we know what they were after, how they got in?" Lady Une said as she turned to look at Heero who didn't appreciate his security systems being broken into and was looking more then a little peeved off by this little turn of events.  
  
"From the cameras it looks like the male intruder was the one who tripped the alarms, the girl was in much earlier and she didn't set off anything. Obviously they came in separately and moved to different locations with different levels of competency. The male headed straight for Lady Une's office while the girl visited all the higher ranking officers offices and dislocated the cameras of every office before she entered it as well as the security. The girl was a professional; the male was an amateur. I think Quatre's right, they weren't working together and it was simply fortunate the male chose that night or we would have never known that she was there."  
  
"What did they take?" Relena asked as she folded her arms over her chest, not liking the thought of Preventers being broken into so easily though she took a slight pleasure in the fact that a woman had succeeded where the man had failed so badly..  
  
"We recovered everything the male took as well as the man himself. He'd stolen mostly basic information on the soldiers here and some supply lists, apparently he was going to sell the information." Milliardo said with a sigh. "From what we've seen and believe so far the girl didn't take anything. She accessed files on the computers but placed some heavy-duty viruses to cover her tracks. I doubt we'll be able to discover what she read or even what she was interested in looking into." Milliardo said as he rubbed a hand over his eyes. He hadn't slept well after the call came about the break in and so far everything he'd heard so far indicated that they had another annoyance to deal with now. And a skilled one at that.  
  
"Did she give you any hint as to why she broke in, Quatre?" Wufei asked as he noticed how preoccupied Quatre seemed to be with something. "Mention anything about what she'd come for?"  
  
"Not really, she seemed to be leaving when we met up. I have no idea but..." Quatre said with a hesitant look, not sure if it was really relevant even though his gut said it was. "She hates you, Lady Une. With a passion."  
  
"Hates me?" Lady Une said in surprise though that wasn't that unusual to hear. She wasn't all that popular with many groups who had opposed Treize as well as those who thought her change from evil to good was simply an act to get away with what she'd done during the war. "Why do you think she hates me?"  
  
"Because she mentioned you and there was a lot of anger and hatred in her voice. Does the name Si Hanta mean anything to you?" Quatre asked curiously, wondering if perhaps Lady Une really had had something to do with Night's appearance.  
  
"Doesn't that mean death hunter?" Relena asked looking up at her husband for conformation since it was his first language. He'd been teaching her some Japanese and she was pretty sure she was right or at least close in her translation.  
  
"Yes it does." Heero said then looked back over at Lady Une and was surprised to see her clutching onto the top of her chair as though it were a life line, looking more then a little pale and shocked. "Lady Une, are you alright?"  
  
"She said that was her name?" Lady Une said her heart beating so fast she could barely breathe. It couldn't be. They'd all been killed after the project had been canceled and they'd become a threat to everyone. Hadn't they?
> 
> "She said that that was what the scientists had called them, that she also had a serial number for a name too that she'd been referred to." Quatre said not liking her reaction at all, it was a guilty reaction. "And she said you were responsible for her eyes."  
  
"What did she mean responsible for her eyes? What scientists?" Noin said curiously as she looked from the two. Lady Une was looking sicker and sicker while Quatre was becoming quieter and if she wasn't mistaken harder somehow.  
  
"Her hair was white despite her age wasn't it, Quatre? Her eyes were very sensitive to the light and they glowed in the dark. She likely wore shades or some kind of glasses to shield them and seemed at home in the darkness." Lady Une said quietly as she released her death grip on the chair though she could have used the support.  
  
"That's right, you do know her?" Quatre said as he looked at her closely, his eyes flashing slightly as he watched her like a hawk. Could this be the foot that had kicked Night so much that she'd rather be alone then risk getting closer to anyone? He was beginning to think it was.  
  
"She's not suppose to be alive but something inside me is telling me it's her, however unlikely that may be." Lade Une said softly her mind drifting off to a face, a face full of pain and blinding hatred. Both directed at her. "It's hard to believe and I was told they were all dead but they would have lied to save their necks. They were already in enough trouble as it was."  
  
"How do you know her, why was she suppose to be killed and who the hell is she?" Heero asked as he said the question on everyone's mind. He had a feeling that they weren't going to like any of the answers.  
  
"I helped create her. As for her name the only other name given to her besides death hunter was number 2347." Lady Une said as she slowly rubbed her hand over her face as though to wipe away the memories that were surfacing. Dark and painful memories. "She was suppose to be killed because we created monsters instead of soldiers."  
  
"What do you mean you helped create her?" Milliardo asked as he stared at her with piercing eyes that said he had some idea of the answer. He'd heard of a science project Lady Une and Oz had been involved in that had resulted in the mutation of its volunteers. Could the girl have been one of the subjects used? But Quatre had described her as a young girl somewhere in her late teens, around their age. That would have made her a child during the time the experiments were being done. He doubted that she would have volunteered."You know of the Hunter Project, or at least heard of it right?" Lady Une said looking at Noin and Milliardo for conformation. She doubted that they knew the whole story but they'd probably heard the rumors. A lot of people had left Treize's side when they'd heard about the Kesiki colony incident, even the rumors, not nearly as horrific as the truth had scared people off.  
  
"Wasn't that the name of the experiments done to the children of the Kesiki colony outpost? The project intended to research into improving the human body turning children into mindless soldiers for Oz to manipulate?" Heero said with eyes going wide as the meaning of it hit him like a ton of bricks. He'd thought that they were mostly just rumors. "Are you saying that the stories were true and that some of them actually survived? That the girl who broke in is one of them!"  
  
"What do you mean happened to the children? I was told the Hunter Project was experimentation into improving the senses of a person. What does children have to do with that?" Noin said not wanting to know but having a feeling that she did know. Durke Demare had not been known as a particularly moral man. "They used children?"  
  
"The methods the scientists came up with needed to be tested." Lady Une said simply as she turned her back to them as memories of what she'd done, allowed others to do nearly overwhelmed her. She'd been such a monster back then, so busy looking at the ends to justify the means. But they hadn't.  
  
"You did these experiments on children!" Relena said in shock as she got to her feet, staring at Lady Une's back with horror and disgust. "You tested potentially harmful drugs on innocent children. How could you do that? How could you justify that?"  
  
"Durke didn't want to risk harming his own soldiers so he...so he gave the orders for Oz to find others to test the drugs on. Children were the ideal candidates." Lady Une said with a sigh. "They were still young, healthy and manageable.."
> 
> "Don't you mean because they were expendable and weren't able to stop you from using them as lab animals." Quatre said with more anger then anyone had ever heard in his voice before. He thought of the traces of fear and the pain in her eyes and wanted at that moment more then anything to make the people who'd done it pay. To grab a gun and shoot Lady Une, to give her an idea how those children must have felt. The fact that his need to do so was so strong shook the normally calm and peaceful pilot. But his voice still shook with anger as he continued. "After all children can't fight back or stop an adult from forgetting their souls to torture other living beings."  
  
"Quatre." Duo said in surprise as he and the rest stared at Quatre who looked like he wanted to ring Lady Une's neck. He'd never seen Quatre this angry before and the blonde pilot was almost frightening in his fury.  
  
"I'm not condoning what I did and allowed to happen, Quatre. How could I given what I did? If I could go back and undo it I would but that's not possible no matter how much I might wish I could." Lady Une said looking Quatre straight in the eye. Letting him see how sorry she was for what had happened even though that was far from enough.  
  
"You said she should be dead, what did you mean?" Wufei said breaking the tension at least for the moment. Yelling and making accusations wouldn't help them figure this out any quicker though he was as sickened as the rest of them by what Lady Une had been involved in.  
  
"Out of the twenty four hundred and twenty-six children used in the experiments only four of them lived during the two weeks the testing went on. Durke decided to cancel the project because he needed the funding for other things and felt that the project wasn't worth the costs. He ordered that the four surviving children be executed and the lab destroyed. Treize was outraged when he found out about the experiment, I don't think he ever quite trusted Durke completely after that. Durke had told me he had Treize's permission but I should have checked it out first. " Lady Une said with a sigh as she thought of what a monster she'd been and how no matter what she did she'd never be able to atone for her deeds. Maybe she could excuse herself for causing the deaths of hundreds of soldiers but no one, least of all herself could justify the killing of those children.  
  
"Durke, why doesn't that surprise me." Milliardo said with disgust as he thought of the old man and all the trouble and suffering he had caused while he was alive.  
  
"So what would this girl want from our computers? Do you still have information on the test and stuff here? But that wouldn't make sense since your computer would be the only one that would have it." Duo asked as he attempted to turn the conversation to something less horrifying.  
  
Sending Duo a slightly thankful look Lady Une shrugged. "What wouldn't she want and no, I don't have any files about the project here. I honestly can't think of what she'd want, but then who knows what goes through her mind either. In all honesty the only thing she'd probably want in this building is my head on a platter so why break in when I'm not here? Why not just come after me? I wouldn't stand a chance."  
  
"So the experiments worked?" Relena said with a shudder, imagining what that poor girl and the others must have gone through. "You succeeded in turning those that survived into these super soldiers you wanted?"  
  
"For the four that survived yes. They all could see in the dark and their senses and reflexes are unmatchable. They can also heal quickly and withstand a great amount of pain without a whimper. That's another reason why they were to be destroyed. They'd become increasingly aware of their abilities and had begun using them against the scientists and soldiers guarding them. I believe the girl alone killed and badly injured several of the scientists even before the order came for her to be killed." Lady Une said with a shake of her head. "They are the perfect soldiers or were designed to be."  
  
"So why haven't they struck yet?" Noin said curiously as she tried to put herself in the girl's shoes which was difficult. "If I'd been in their shoes the first thing I would have done was come after you and everyone else involved to return the favor." Several people at the table nodded. If it had been them a lot of people would have died and not pleasantly at that.
> 
> "Hey wait a minute! Did you say that they're light sensitive and have white hair? And did you say that she looked fairly young like she was in her late teens at most?" Duo said as a thought occurred to him that was more then a bit chilling.  
  
"The girl!" Wufei said as he caught on to what Duo was thinking, not liking the idea at all as it posed several unpleasant ideas and situations. "Does the old warehouse by Himitu in China have any significance to the project?"  
  
"That's where the four children that survived were kept, why?" Lady Une said looking at them with a growing apprehension. 'The children were taken to four different labs, the one in China was the only one that managed to keep any of the children alive."  
  
"That's where I met Yamachi's granddaughter's friend and she had white hair and she refused to remove her shades so that Sally could check her eyes." Duo said with a grave look on his face "Do you think it was her, Wu-man?"  
  
"It could be. That would explain why she was there and perhaps why she was weary of us. If she knew we worked for Une plus she wouldn't give us a name just as she refused to give Quatre the one she was born with." Wufei said thoughtfully, letting the Wu-man comment pass for the time being.  
  
"Yea and when Keyda came and got her she never once called her by her name either, as though she were protecting her." Duo said thoughtfully as he thought out loud, working it through in his head.  
  
"Are you telling me that it's possible that Yamachi's got these super soldiers Durke created under his command? Could this day get any worse!" Milliardo said as he ignored the desire to be childish and bang his head on the table in anger. "With those super soldiers anyone who tried to get at Yamachi would be in for the fight of his life."  
  
"God help us if it's her and she's working for Yamachi." Lady Une said quietly as she looked out the window where thousand of people were walking around, completely unaware of the danger she'd possibly helped unleash upon them, just when she thought she was done harming them.
> 
> Later 
> 
> Heero sighed as he exited his black convertible after pulling into Quatre's driveway long after most people had been asleep for hours. Pushing his dark brown hair back with his hand Heero wished that he could just go to bed and forget everything that was going on. It had been a long week what with the break-in and the knowledge that they might have a super human out to get them was not comforting. Sliding his keys into his pocket Heero wondered when the world would be safe enough that he didn't still have to look behind him and fight for the right to have said peace. Tired beyond his years Heero headed out towards the door of the mansion where he and Relena were staying while renovations were begin done on their home.  
  
"Mr. Heero Yuy."  
  
Heero turned at the sound of his name with lightning speed, scanning the area around him until he finally spotted her leaning up against a tree in the front yard. In the darkness he couldn't see her clearly but everything was telling him that she was not here for a social visit. Reaching for his pocket knife he was stopped cold by her next words. "Try and you won't live long enough to scream a warning to your wife Yuy." The girl said in a perfectly reasonable voice which was more then enough to make his blood run cold.  
  
"Who are you? What do you want?" Heero said moving to stand between her and the house where his wife and friends were sleeping. If she intended to get inside she'd have to get through him first and he wasn't going to make it easy.
> 
> "If I meant to kill you or anyone in the house you'd have been dead already. I'm not in the habit of giving my prey warning, it tends to get messy if you do and I'm far from an amateur at this." The woman said not moving or showing any signs of intending to as she calmly watched him for where she stood. "We're a lot a like in that way, Yuy. We rarely kill anymore but when we do, we do it with class and skill."  
  
"Why are you here?" Heero said not taking his eyes off her still form. "Are you the one who broke into the offices on Monday?" Heero prayed the answer was no but he doubted he was going to be so lucky.  
  
"Well I always thought you were one of the smarter ones, Mr. Yuy. As to why I'm here well that has nothing to do with your offices and everything to do with your wife." The girl said with a touch of amusement to her voice.  
  
"Relena?" Heero said as a cold sweat broke out on his forehead. They were after her? These inhuman creations were after Relena? But why, what had she done? "You'll have to kill me to get near her and I don't care what they did to you or how strong you are because no one messes with my famil. Understand?"  
  
"I have no interest in killing her. She wouldn't be worth the effort and I'm here to keep her alive, not end it. Like I said before, if I wanted her to die I'd have killed her weeks ago and you would never have seen me coming or going." The girl shot back with a voice slightly laced with anger.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Heero said moving slightly closer. He could just make out her form and that was it, he couldn't tell if she was armed though he doubted she wasn't. "What do you want? And what's this have to do with Relena, she had absolutely nothing to do with the Hunter Project. "
> 
> "I want your wife to stay alive, Yuy which wouldn't be the case if she'd been involved with the project. As long as she's alive then people like you and me don't need to go around killing hundreds of people. You're wife's in danger, Yuy because she prevents people from becoming like us and a lot of people aren't happy about that. There is a group whose been spending a lot of money trying to have your wife killed. So far we've been able to deter them but they're coming in larger groups and are better trained. That's why I'm here, to make you aware of the situation."  
  
"Who are they?" Heero said not sure whether to trust her or not but if she was telling the truth? Heero wouldn't risk it, he couldn't risk not believing her.  
  
"They're people who haven't forgotten Oz and wish for its return. I'd have preferred to keep you out of it but my boss is of the opinion that you could be of help. We have people watching your wife wherever she goes so you don't need to worry about that. We simple wish you to keep your eyes open and provide assistance when necessary. You're also not to mention this to anyone if you want our help. Understand?"  
  
"Why can't I tell anyone?" Heero asked suspiciously as his blue eyes narrowed.  
  
"Because we don't tolerate screw ups and your friends would only get in the way. We have enough to worry about keeping your wife alive without adding your friends into the equation to screw it up and get people killed." The girl said with a tone full of ice making it clear that she wouldn't tolerate anyone disobeying her rules.  
  
"I understand." Heero nodded in her direction, deciding that for now he would take her word on this. "Are you after Lady Une?"  
  
"If you mean do I want her dead then the answer is yes. If you're asking me if I intend to kill her anytime soon then no. When Lady Une dies it will not be by my hand unless I have to." The girl said with no emotion at all. "I don't intend to allow her to put me in Hell for any longer then she already has."  
  
"If I were you she'd already be dead." Heero said softly as his eyes began to adjust to the darkness enough to see that she wasn't carrying or holding anything but looks of course could be deceiving. "Why haven't you killed her yet?"  
  
"If you were me you'd never have lived long either." The girl said as she stood up from the tree and for the first time really looked in his direction. "She's alive only because she still serves a purpose. She'll slip up eventually and become he monster she is and we'll be there waiting. Tell her that." Heero watched as the girl walked away from the tree and off the grass to the road, staying well in the shadows, Heero watching her go without a word. He had to hand it to her, she had guts and she'd be a formidable enemy if he crossed her. Quatre said that he didn't think she had malicious intent but that remained to be seen.  
  
"This is not our week, is it, Baby?" Heero said turning back to look at the mansion where his wife slept soundly. "Definitely not."


	5. Their Past and Present

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the plot and the original characters which are mine! All mine! maniacal laughter opps...sheepish look 

Their Past and Present  
  
"So how did it go with Heero?" Keyda asked Eve as she held the phone closer to her ear, curious to know how the little meeting had worked out given that Heero Yuy had a reputation that made him a deadly foe to have. "You're still in one piece I hope."  
  
"Let's just say I understand why you insisted we allow him to know of our involvement. He appears to have a brain and has been well trained." Eve admitted grudgingly. She'd been impressed with how Heero had handled her midnight arrival and she'd respected him for his obvious love for his wife.  
  
"See, Trowa told you it was for the best." Keyda said as she pushed some stray hairs behind her ear causing her earrings to sway back and forth.  
  
"They haven't made the connection between me and the frumpy assistant yet so I'll continue in that form, I haven't found out yet what the building's importance is though I've searched all her files and found nothing on it." Eve said with a trace of annoyance.  
  
"She'll slip up eventually, Eve just wait and see." Keyda said with a smile.  
  
"If you say so, boss. I'd better get some sleep. I got a long day of promoting pacifism tomorrow." Eve said with perky happiness that showed her obvious dislike of the idea. Eve was many things but perky she would never be.  
  
"I'll talk to you later then. Goodnight, Eve." Keyda said with a small smile.  
  
"Same goes, boss." Eve said before she hung up.  
  
"Sometimes I wonder if you'd have rather died then be saved." Keyda said quietly as she placed her cell phone back on her table after the other girl had hung up. It had almost been seven years since they met up and Keyda couldn't shake the idea that she'd only scratched the surface of her friend's personality. Sighing Keyda took off her robe and placing it over a chair climbed into bed, falling asleep thinking of how it had come to be that she and Eve became friends.  
  
Even before she'd met Eve and the others she'd known of the Hunters Project. Her grandfather had supported the idea and it had been one of the few times he'd involved himself in something his ideal Treize wouldn't approve of. But super soldiers were super soldiers and so the experiments took place with a large part of it being funded by Yamachi Enterprises. If her grandfather's behavior in the past hadn't disgusted her his involvement in the murder and mutilation of over two thousand innocent children had done the trick. Before that she had just despised him but when he'd taken her to the lab to show her the future soldiers of the world the disgust had turned into hatred. She'd looked into Eve's pain filled eyes, a girl who'd done nothing wrong and had vowed to undo this atrocity if it was the last thing she did. But she'd been only fifteen and had no training in such things, had been at lose as to how to prevent them from being killed. When she'd heard her grandfather speak of their coming execution she'd prayed to God, as she'd never had before to help her stop them. And for the first time in her memory someone had heard her.  
  
It had been the birthday of one of Treize's supporters' young daughter and so Treize had arranged for a special show put on by a traveling troupe of performers. Being fifteen she'd seen no point in going but her grandfather had forced her into it. She'd been so distracted by her thoughts that she'd missed most of the acts before one of the older girls had jabbed her in the side to point out the well built boy about to have knives thrown at him. Annoyed Keyda had glared but glanced in the rings direction and had almost fallen from her seat. For there, wearing the half mask of a clown was a familiar figure. Later she would question how she'd known it was him but something inside her that had lay doormat since their last meeting sprang forth and she'd known that it was her mysterious Trowa Barton in the ring.  
  
She'd deliberately left her purse behind and using that excuse had headed back for the ring after the show when everyone had gone to leave. Keyda had deliberately waited until the last minute to realize she'd left her purse and had told them to go without her, she'd get a taxi. Amazingly enough her grandfather had agreed and with a slightly lighter heart Keyda had run into the tent to find him. It had taken her forever to assure the ringmaster that she wasn't some crazed fan and that Trowa really did know her. She'd finally asked the other woman to ask Trowa whether or not he'd see her. She'd been really nervous about using her name but the woman hadn't recognized it. She'd waited in the ring and had come quite close to walking in a ditch she'd paced back and forth so much. The out of the shadows he'd come and they'd just looked at each other like they'd never seen the other before.  
  
"Hello, No name." Keyda said with nerves clearly showing.  
  
"Why have you come, Keyda?" Trowa asked trying to hid his surprise, wondering what she wanted from him. He had only signed up for this show because he'd known Treize would be here, he'd never thought that she might be there as well.  
  
"Is your side alright?" Keyda asked stepping closer to him. Her eyes searched his for any signs of change or emotion she didn't honestly expect to see.  
  
"It's fine." Trowa replied curtly. He didn't know what she wanted but he had a feeling that it wasn't going to be something as simple as a kiss this time.  
  
"I need your help, Trowa." Keyda said softly, as she looked into his green eyes and wished that she could know what was going on behind them.  
  
"What do you need help with?" Trowa asked with a slight curiosity in his voice. He couldn't think of really anything he had that she could possibly want unless it was another kiss but he doubted that kiss had haunted her the way it had him.  
  
"I need you to help me break into a laboratory and rescue four people from execution." Keyda said in a rush as though saying it faster would make him more likely to agree. "They haven't done anything to deserve it and no one else will help me."  
  
"You want me to help you break into a building and rescue some people? Why?" Trowa said as he unconsciously moved closer to her till they were standing mere feet from each other, her eyes full of unshed tears and his full of surprise and an emotion neither could yet understand or believe.  
  
"Because four of the people in that lab are going to be murdered in three days and they're only children." Keyda said with tears welling up in her eyes. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't prevent them from falling down her cheek. "They're just children and they're going to be killed because my grandfather and Treize's men are all heartless bastards who deserve to be shot or worse and..and I can't let them do it, Trowa. I just can't!"  
  
Without thinking Trowa drew the silently sobbing girl to him and wrapping his arms around her giving her the comfort she needed. Having not been hugged in a long time Keyda stiffened but had soon fell into his embrace, hungry for any sign that someone else cared. Soothingly Trowa gently stroked her hair and wondered how long it been since she'd cried. He'd personally never seen the point in it but Relena had once told him that it released tension. Hugging girls though wasn't one of his specialties.  
  
"I'm soorrryyyy." Keyda had sniffled but had continued to clutch onto his shoulders like a drowning man hangs onto a life preserver.  
  
"I'll help you." Trowa said framing her face between his hands with a tenderness both would marvel at later on.  
  
"You...you will?" Keyda said feeling a large weight come off her chest. Throwing her arms around his neck she buried her face in his chest and hugged him with all the relief and care she felt inside.  
  
"I'll help you."  
  
And he had. Together the two had broken into the small security laboratory and had freed Eve and the other three children. One had been killed in the escape and the other had died shortly after he was given his freedom, his little six year old body hadn't been able to stand up against the harmful chemicals alive in his system once he was no longer under the scientists care. So only two had survived the full two weeks, Eve and Darius. The two had sworn that they would repay Trowa and Keyda for saving them and they had a hundred times over. Now both Trowa and Keyda called Eve and Darius their friends and Eve and Darius continued the fight for peace and the end of all things related to Oz, their most hated creators.  
  
Eve swore that if she had to smile at him one more time she was going to scream. In her twenty-two and a half years on this world she'd never met such a sexist, overbearing, pathetic excuse for a man. Chang Wufei, I'm going to seriously think about killing you when this mission is over. She may respect him for his battle skills and academic knowledge but when it came to him as a person she would rather go and work for Oz.  
  
"Ms. Jackson?" Eve looked up and saw the object of her current anger along with the other Gundam boys, including Trowa. It had been Heero who had spoken.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Yuy?" Eve said smiling sweetly up at them with eyes showing nothing but quiet intelligence.  
  
"Is Relena busy? We need to talk to her." Quatre said smiling at Relena's shy assistant. The girl tended to keep to herself and all his attempts to draw her out of her shell had been unsuccessful. Eve smiled back with as much innocence as she could manage seeing as her present thoughts were anything but innocent.  
  
"She's taking a break right now, Mr. Yuy. I'm sure she'd be happy for the company." Eve said trying not to look at Quatre who was looking particularly gorgeous today. Of all the times for me to get back in touch with what's left of my feminine side, Eve thought as she instead concentrated on Trowa who looked at her without any emotion.  
  
"Thanks." Heero said and motioning to the others they headed for the office. As Trowa nodded at her Eve watched him casually leave the magazine he'd been holding on her desk. Watching them go Eve waited until their was no one in sight before flipping through it. Almost in the middle Trowa had tucked in an envelope with her code name Night on it.  
  
Dear Night, Tell Darius that Milliardo's having him investigated. Also tell Keyda that she should look into the Marius building. Hope you're having fun.  
  
Silencer.  
  
"Like anyone could have fun acting like a spineless mouse." Eve muttered as she ripped up the letter and placed the magazine back on her desk so that he could pick it up when he came back out.  
  
Inside the Office  
  
"We need to find a way to get a hold of Keyda Yamachi." Heero said pacing in front of them looking ruffled for once. "She of all people would know where her grandfather is and even if she doesn't we might be able to get some information about our thief."  
  
"What makes you think she'd cooperate even if she did?" Trowa said knowing perfectly well that Keyda had no idea where her grandfather was and that she'd die before she'd do anything to put Eve in danger. It was one of the things he loved about her.  
  
"Keyda's not a bad girl. If we explain I think she might help us." Milliardo said thoughtfully as he watched Noin talk quietly to that new cadet of hers. They sure were spending a lot of time together which was really starting to bug him.  
  
"You know her?" Wufei said in surprise. "Why didn't you mention this before?"  
  
"Yamachi often brought Keyda with him to meetings, he thought it would be educational and I also knew her brother. I only talked with her occasionally but she always struck me as disagreeing with what her grandfather was involved in." Milliardo said as he began to get a little annoyed. The uppity cadet was practically ogling his wife and she hadn't so much as frowned at him. Far from it in fact.  
  
"Do you think she'd tell us anything if we sent you to talk to her." Relena asked curiously, eager to learn as much as possible about their current situation. Keyda could be the key to finding the former Oz leader and truly ridding the planets of his power. 

"I doubt it but I could try." Milliardo said as he deliberately turned his back so that he didn't have to watch Noin make a fool of herself flirting with the cadet. If she was trying to make him jealous it sure as Hell wasn't working. And the cadet was no more then a boy, Milliardo thought darkly in his head, practically cradle robbing. Not that she could possibly be interested in the pipsqueak..she was his damn it.   
  
"Here the latest number we have for her." Lady Une said holding out a piece of paper to him with a quiet smile, shadows under her eyes. Reading over it Milliardo nodded. 

"This is the number of her mother's house. They were very close and she always did like me, thought I would be a good influence on her son." Picking up the cell phone Milliardo dialed the number and put it on speaker so that the others could hear what was said. A few seconds later the phone was picked up.  
  
"Yamachi residence, how may I help you?" a female voice asked.  
  
"I'd like to speak to Ms Keyda Yamachi please." Milliardo said in his most charming voice, not recognizing the voice on the other end.  
  
"Who may I ask is calling?" The woman asked cautiously. Not many people knew that the young mistress was visiting her mother. Who could this be?  
  
"My name's Zech's and I served with her father and brother. It's very important that I speak to her." Milliardo said using his Oz identity.  
  
"Hold on a minute please." The people waited in the meeting room while they listened to her walk away to go see whether or not her mistress would take the call. A couple minutes went by then the sound of a different pair of heels came over the phone and the sound of the phone being picked up.  
  
"Milliardo, to what do I owe the pleasure?" A husky female voice said as the sound of someone playing the piano in the background increased in volume. The Gundam pilots were a bit startled by the welcome in her voice. They'd expected her voice to be as hard and cold as her grandfather but that wasn't the impression her voice gave at all.  
  
"It's good to hear your voice, Keyda. How are you?" Milliardo said a little surprised at the warm greeting. She had to know about the bad blood between himself and her grandfather.  
  
"I'm well enough in the head to know this isn't a social call, Milliardo. What is it you or Relena wants?" Keyda asked playfully but with a hint of steel no one listening could miss.  
  
"We were wondering about whether or not you knew where your grandfather was, Keyda." Milliardo said with continuing charm, not even bothering to ask how she knew it was for Relena. 

"Now why would I tell you something like that, Milliardo? So tell me, has Noin wised up and dumped you on your ass?" Keyda said with a grin that split her face though they couldn't see it as she chuckled picturing his expression.  
  
"I don't think that's any of your business, Brat." Milliardo said falling into the old habit of calling her by her brother's former nickname.

Immediately all was silent. Trowa, knowing the meaning of the nickname silently cursed Milliardo's use of it.  
  
"I'm sorry, Keyda." Milliardo said softly speaking no longer as someone who wanted information but someone who'd once played with her and pulled her braids.  
  
"That's alright. I don't know where he is. You always knew how it was between the two of us without having to say a word. He's crazy but he's not stupid. He doesn't trust me enough to tell me anything of importance." Keyda said in a softer voice as well though it lacked the emotion of before. "He's smart enough not to risk it.".  
  
"What do you know of the Hunter Project, Keyda?" Milliardo asked carefully knowing that she was vulnerable and that it was time to strike.  
  
"Why, don't tell me your baby sister is interested in that point in history. I thought she was a pacifist." Keyda said and now there was no mistaking her annoyance.  
  
"We believe that one of the children involved might be after Lady Une." Milliardo replied.  
  
"She deserves to die for what she allowed the Duke to do, Peacecraft so don't waste your time calling me again. As far as I'm concerned she deserves what she gets. Lady Une and my grandfather are both on the road to Hell and they need all the help they can get so why don't you pray for their souls instead of bothering me." Keyda said as she hung up the phone.  
  
"Boy she really doesn't like you does she." Duo said looking over at Lady Une who'd turned a bit pale at the venom coming from a girl so young. She remembered Keyda as a fun loving girl with a bit of a temper from the few times they'd met through her grandfather. She'd had no idea that the girl had felt such hate for her.  
  
"She knew about the Hunter Project." Wufei said as he watched the color slowly return to Lady Une's face.  
  
"I think she was telling the truth about her grandfather though." Trowa said looking at the rest of the people in the room. Actually I know it for a fact but I can't mention that now can I, Trowa thought as he watched his friends. Relena and Lady Une had both paled at the conversation and the males had all looked grim at the conversation.  
  
"I agree with Trowa. I think she was telling the truth." Noin said speaking up for the first time since she'd gotten there.  
  
"I don't think we'll get anything else from her." Heero said as he recalled the slight bitterness in her voice.  
  
"Would Keyda know Dorothy?" Duo said as he watched Trowa carefully, trying to figure out why his gut was reacting the way it had. Trowa had deliberately left that magazine on the desk for Eve. But why? Was he interested in the little mouse? Intrigued by the idea Duo made a mental note to find out later.  
  
"I wouldn't recommend mixing the two. If I were Keyda I'd look down on Dorothy as much as the Duke. Keyda would know the family connection and judge Dorothy accordingly." Noin said quietly as she consider things. "Plus Dorothy caused her fair share of trouble.".  
  
"And she'd judge right." Heero added with a slight grin as he placed a calming hand on his wife's shoulder. "Looks like were back to square one."  
  
"Who the Hell are you?" Quatre said as he bit back several other words that came to mind. What is it about her he wondered as he paced around his office, his desk covered in papers as he tried to figure out what made him so confused. He had reports to go over, papers to sign and all he could think about was her. "She's even got me swearing now." He added under his breath.  
  
"What's the matter?" At the sound of his best friend's voice Quatre quit his pacing and smiled at Trowa who stood in the doorway looking at him in curiosity. "You never swear."  
  
" Lets just say I've got something on my mind that I can't shake." Quatre said ruefully as he rubbed the back of his neck.  
  
"Want to talk about it?" Trowa asked leaning up against the wall.  
  
"It's a girl." Quatre said with a self-pitying smile on his face as he leaned up against his desk figuring that would end Trowa's interest right away. 

"Who is she?" Trowa said with interest. He'd never seen Quatre worked up about a girl before and he'd certainly never heard Quatre swear over one.  
  
"I don't even know her name. I don't know how old she is or where she lives. I don't even know her phone number!" Quatre said as he threw his hands into the air in defeat.  
  
"You don't even know her name? Quatre, where did you meet this girl?" Trowa said, slightly concerned now.  
  
"I got trapped in an elevator with her." Quatre said dryly.  
  
"Oh God no." Trowa said as it hit him exactly who his friend was talking about. Quatre was mooning over Eve. This could not be happening! He'd sent her to protect Relena and Noin not add his best friend to her long list of broken-hearted idiots. Eve dated guys simple to prove how easily she could manipulate them if she dated at all.  
  
"I know it's stupid. I mean we were only trapped for fifteen minutes tops but there was just something about her that got to me. Crazy isn't it?" Quatre said taking Trowa's shocked look as agreement. "So why can't I get her out of my mind?"  
  
"Quatre I know I've never met the girl but I have it under good authority that relationships based under extreme conditions never work out." Trowa said looking Quatre straight in the eye as he quoted a fairly popular 20th Century movie. He may like and respect Eve but she'd never suit his best friend in his opinion. She'd eat him alive and Quatre would never recover after she was done with him. Eve tended to have that impact on men though Darius was fond of saying that having Eve for a while would probably be worth it.  
  
"You think so?" Quatre said surprised that Trowa felt so strongly against it. Of all of the Gundam pilots Trowa was the slowest to make judgment on others.  
  
"I'm sure." Trowa said laying a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Forget her. You'll probably never see her again anyway."  
  
"Keyda, you have to keep Eve away from Quatre." Trowa said as soon as she picked up her personal phone.  
  
"Well hello to you too." Keyda said laughing at the interesting hello. "And why do I need to keep Eve away from Quatre? You've seen her get-up, not even J.C. would recognize her."  
  
"Keyda trust me on this, keep the two apart." Trowa said with worry evident in his voice.  
  
"What happened, Trowa, why are you upset?" Keyda said now concerned as well. For even a tiny bit of worry to be heard in his voice was not acceptable to her.  
  
"Quatre has developed a crush on her." Trowa said without emotion this time.  
  
"You're joking right?' Keyda said with a laugh. She'd never met Trowa's best friend but she'd learned enough about him over the years to know that Eve was definitely not his type. Quatre was the cool and kind upper class girl type. Eve's was the tall dark and built type not that Eve really dated to begin with.  
  
"I wish I was but apparently he can't get her out of his mind. She's even got him swearing!" Trowa said with disbelief.  
  
"You're serious aren't you?" Keyda said as a smile began to form as a quite nasty idea popped into her head. Quatre just might be what the doctor ordered.  
  
"What are you thinking?" Trowa said suspiciously. He'd been her friend and then lover for a long time now and he knew when she was planning something.  
  
"Nothing important. Don't worry, I'll take care of everything." Keyda said already thinking of an excuse to get Eve and Quatre in the same room. Call her crazy but Eve was her friend and as her friend it was her duty to do what was best for her whether she liked it or not.  
  
"You're planning something and I have a feeling I don't want to know but likely should so I can talk you out of it." Trowa said practically hearing the wheels turning in her head.  
  
"I'm just thinking about what we're going to do when you get out here to visit." Keyda said with a slight purr in her voice. The better to distract her prince.  
  
"Sounds like I should think about hurrying through my visit." Trowa said as he allowed her to distract him for the moment. "So what are we doing?" 


	6. Midnight Meetings

Midnight Meetings  
  
Eve couldn't believe Keyda had sent her to break into Quatre's house. She couldn't help but wonder what Trowa had said to Keyda to make her boss give her such a degrading assignment that was so belittling of her talent. Trowa must really think Quatre's house's security needed to be upgraded, Eve thought as she noiselessly climbed up an old oak situated beside the old servants quarters. Pushing branches out of the way Eve wondered again why she'd been stuck with this job since Darius was a lot better at security systems then she was so why had Keyda been so insistent that she do it. "We'll let's get this over with." Eve muttered to herself as she moved onto a branch nearly hanging over a skylight. Dropping down Eve landed on her feet with a slight thud and quickly moved into the safety of the concealing shadows. Scanning the area Eve took out a small gun from her side and shot it into the air. Immediately it soundlessly exploded all over the place sending white powder flying. As it settled the trip wires were plainly visible to the naked eye much less hers. "Piece of chocolate cake." Eve said as she drew back then quickly flipped, slid and ducked her way through the field with catlike grace. Coming to a stop in front of the skylight she was stopped by the sound of a gun going from safety on to off. Immediately reaching for her weapon strapped to her side Eve froze as she recognized Quatre in the pale light of the moon, her eyes easily picking him out behind her tinted shades. Damn it all to hell what was he doing there..she hadn't trip a god damn thing and this just wasn't fair after what had happened in the stupid elevator.

"So we meet again, Night." Quatre said hardly daring to believe that she was really there and not some illusion or figment of his overactive imagination. He'd been thinking about her and now here she was as if from thin air or through sheer will on his part. He was surprised she hadn't shot him already but no, she stayed where she was, the moonlight shining off her white hair as it blew around her neck in the slight breeze. She was the most beautiful cat burglar slash thief he'd ever seen in his life. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit? Come to finish the job?" Quatre asked with what he hoped was a non threatening smile.  
  
"Leave now and I'll let you leave with all your limbs attached." Was the answer which was said in an ice cold and peeved off voice he remembered so very well.  
  
Quatre smiled then wondered why he was smiling as she'd just threatened to harm him. In other words here he was probably grinning like a complete idiot when most people would be dropping the gun and running for cover. "I think that would be a lot harder then you'd imagine." 

"And how'd you come to that conclusion, Einstein. From where I'm standing you're the pretty rich boy pacifist and I'm the trained assassin who has way more blood on said hands then you do or ever will. Your father didn't drop you on your head repeatedly as a child by any chance did he because you're way off base if you think you can take me on." Eve said with a hint of amusement that was unusual for her to say the least but the fact that he thought he could stand a chance against her amused her and tickled her funny bone.  
  
"Well we'll see won't we?" Quatre said grinning at her with a great deal of charm. Struggling not to notice Eve wondered how the hell he managed to throw her off balance so easily with something so simple as a smile. Well she could do the same. It could never be said that there was a male on this earth who could out charm someone as she could when she set her mind to it.  
"You're forgetting that I was a soldier. I think that I'd be able to show you a thing or two." Quatre said grinning at her as he watched her process his remarks. Startled he watched her walk towards him, completely ignoring the gun at his hand. Feeling as oppose to seeing her eyes drill into his Quatre had the uncomfortable feeling that he was in over his head.  
  
"So you think you could teach me a thing or two, Quatre R Winner. What exactly do you propose to teach me?" Eve said in a voice designed to turn grown men into puddles of hormones and stupidity which was something she'd always excelled at even when she was just a kid still. "I'm sure a guys such as yourself would have a lot of interesting things to teach a girl." Eve added with a purr as she reached out to trail a finger down his chest seductively while her other hand removed the glasses so that he could see her eyes thinking that they'd add to the intimidation. He'd be gone in seconds, Eve thought with glee.  
  
Meeting her eyes Quatre felt sweat break out on his forehead as he fought not to back up and keep going. He'd never had a female look at him like she was going to eat him alive and he didn't know exactly how to react now that such a look was being aimed in his direction by someone other then a fortune hunter. He was a gentleman after all and gentlemen never attracted women like this..well at least not for themselves anyway. Heero and Duo attracted women like this, not him. He watched as she gently trailed a hand up his arm to rest on the nap of his neck, pulling his face down till he was practically nose to nose with her. Oh boy but he was in serious trouble now. 

"Still think you can handle me, Winner?" Eve said not entirely sure how to go about this now that she'd begun it. She'd started this to make a point but he wasn't getting the message and being this close to him was starting to short circuit her brain. He was suppose to be running away not standing there like he had no intention of moving anytime this year. She didn't want to have to keep pushing his buttons cause what if he started pushing her own buttons and she started to forget why she was pushing his buttons in the first place. And if that happened she could be in serious trouble and jeopardize everything they'd been working to accomplish. What the Hell was she supposed to do since he wasn't cooperating?  
  
"Ya." Quatre said standing his ground though that was really the last thing he wanted to do since he felt well over his head and well on his way to drowning. Something told him that behind her brave looks there was a girl who was just as nervous about the sparks they were shooting off as he was and God help him even if he'd wanted to he wouldn't have been able to move. "Hit me with your best shot, angel."

"You asked for it." Eve said and before she thought better of it and let him have it with a passion that caught both of them in its clutches with a speed that left them both winded and shaken. Dragging his head down again after a short break for air Eve put everything into another kiss that just about sent poor Quatre into a seizure so intense was his reaction as he held her tight against him and returned the kiss with as much heat as she'd blasted him with. The kisses were like nothing he'd ever experienced before and it was as if the world were shifting and everything was changing but at the same time like the world had stopped. There were just no words to describe what it was like, Quatre would think later on. It was Eve's turn to reel in shock when he returned her kiss with so much passion and feeling that it made the last kiss seem like a sisterly peck on the cheek. Forgetting that she was suppose to be in control Eve let him soften the kiss until they were both oblivious to the world around them so focused were they on the other and the kissing that was rapidly taking them over and becoming so much more then a test of strength. Arms wrapped around each other they forgot past words, concentrating instead on getting as close as humanly possible which they proceeded to do with a fierceness that would have shocked anyone who really knew them. Hands and fingertips moving to caress and touch they revealed in the discovery of the other and marveled that the other was there and with them like this. For what seemed like hours they stood there lost in the others embrace and so caught up in her first real kiss in a long time Eve almost missed the sound of masked footsteps coming their way with a stealthness that spoke of training. Breathing hard Eve pushed Quatre and herself further into the shadows and reluctantly broke off the kiss and full body contact. "Someone's coming." Eve said quickly fixing her shirt with speed as she mentally prepared for battle while absently wondering when exactly her shirt had come undone.

"What?" Quatre asked, his world still spinning wildly as he slowly drifted down from heaven to become aware that something was wrong. A something that had brought them both crashing back to reality when the place they'd created together had been so much more appealing.  
  
"Wait here and don't move, Quatre. It's rather early for anyone to be up and this is not the place to be out taking a late night stroll. I'll check it out, if you move to interfere I'll shoot you myself, pal. Understand?" Eve said pushing a lock of his hair out of his eyes with a tenderness usually reserved for her brother and no one else which belayed her words of threatened violence if he didn't do what she said. Obviously she was still a little out of it. Placing a light kiss on his lips for luck Eve quickly slide away and carefully headed over to the place she'd dropped her gun in the heat of the moment. Picking it up Eve backed into the shadows once more and pulled out a device Darius had made to disrupt the mansion's security system. Pressing the button that would deactivated the force fields Eve watched and waited for the visitor to show himself. Gradually a shadow took shape and Eve recognized it as the form of one of her former saviors. Watching Wufei out of the corner of her eye Eve quickly and quietly edge away from him and keeping into the shadows slide towards the way she'd come. Well at least he wouldn't be a problem though now was her chance to pay him back for all those sexist comments he was always inclined to sprout. Better not and wait for a better chance and way to get him back.  
  
"Who's there?" Wufei said his instincts telling him that it wasn't Quatre he was sensing in the darkness. Then out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of movement and turned just in time to see something jump over the edge which struck him as extremely stupid even as he went over to investigate. Running over Wufei could just make out a form rapidly swinging down the oak tree Heero had been after Quatre to cut down for just such a reason which made the thief smart and not so stupid, Wufei thought with a dark look. Wishing he could go after the intruder Wufei instead turned back and went looking for Quatre who he'd heard head up here ten minutes ago but hadn't come back. If Quatre was hurt then his friend was his first priority. "Quatre, are you there? Answer me."  
  
"Wufei? Is that you?" Wufei followed the voice and turned to see his friend coming from the shadows towards him hesitantly since Quatre had no doubt Night really would hurt him if he got in the way even thought he had no intention of hiding behind a girl. He'd gone to get his gun and then she'd disappeared only for him to hear Wufei calling his name. Meanwhile Wufei literally felt his jaw drop as his friend exited the shadows and bathed in moonlight was clearly illustrated to Wufei's shocked eyes.  
  
"What did he do to you?" Wufei said hurrying forward to get a better look at his friend who looked very un Quatre like at the moment. In fact Quatre looked like he'd just rolled out of bed and into a tornado.  
  
"What do you mean?" Quatre said still slightly dazed and a little unsteady on his feet, blinking at his friend in confusion. She was like a drug, Quatre decided as he blinked at Wufei as the man sputtered, once she was in your system you just crave more as oppose to less. And for the life of him he couldn't figure out why that didn't depress him. What a kisser, Quatre thought to himself, wondering when he'd get the chance to do it again. "What's wrong with the way I look?"  
  
"Well your hair is all mussed and standing up every which way for starters. Your shirt's completely unbuttoned and it isn't tucked in at all not to mention the fact that your eyes are glassy and you look like you've been hit with a two by four..repeatedly. What the Hell happened here and who was the guy who just jumped off your roof?" Wufei said as he motioned to Quatre's dissolved appearance and then back to the place where the idiot had jumped. "Quatre?"  
  
"She jumped off the roof! Is she okay? What happened? I didn't hear the sound of a struggle!" Quatre said instantly at attention at the thought that she'd jumped several stories to her possible death. The idea that she might be seriously hurt drove everything else from his mind in a lightning flash.  
  
"That was a girl? She's fine, got away scot free." Wufei said surprised at the smile that blossomed on his friend's face at the news that not only was she fine but that she had safely gotten away without getting harmed in the process. "You know if I didn't know better I'd almost think you were happy she got away."  
  
"Care to join me for some champagne or brandy, Wufei? I feel like celebrating." Quatre said completely ignoring Wufei's question as he headed for the stairs with a very worried Wufei close behind. He felt like celebrating and was way to wired now for bed that was for sure.  
  
Meanwhile the next morning  
  
As long as she lived she swore that she was going to stay away from Quatre like he has the plague Eve vowed as she pulled to a stop at a stop sign. Running a hand through her hair Eve remembered what it felt like when Quatre had done the same and nearly hit her head on the steering wheel in exasperation tinged with fear. "How could I have been so stupid!" Eve said saying a few choice words under her breath in several languages that were four lettered and unrepeatable in most mixed company. She'd known that Winner was trouble but had she stayed away from him? No, of course not. After all that would have been the smart thing to do. Instead you let him get to you and now look what had happened between them. She'd been all over him and what the Hell would have happened if Wufei hadn't showed up? Now that was something to worry about. She'd stayed up all night unable to sleep and then when she'd finally gotten to sleep who was waiting for her as soon as she closed her eyes but Quatre! My God and she'd thought Darius had a dirty mind. Half of her dreams she'd had last night could possibly be considered illegal in most countries! So here she was, hot and bothered over a friggin pacifist who had no business doing this to her or putting such thoughts into her head. Now not only couldn't she kill him but he'd taken over her mind as well, filling it with all kinds of things she didn't need to nor had any business thinking about. "This is definitely not a good way to start the day."  
  
At Preventers  
  
"Relena, I think there's something seriously wrong with Quatre but he won't tell me anything so you need to bug him about it." Heero said as he walked into his wife's office to find her hard at work as she always was.  
  
"Why, is he sick?" Relena said looking up from some paperwork with concern for her friend's well being. 

"Well apparently some girl tried to break into the mansion last night and Quatre met up with the her while she was on the roof prowling around. Wufei scared her off but apparently Quatre was in rough shape when he found him liked they'd been in a tussle though apparently she must have been on the losing end since Quatre was only mushed a little." Heero said grimly wanting very much to know what the Hell was going on and then get his hands on this girl and make her pay for her upsetting Quatre. "The poor guy has to be upset over having to hit a girl."  
  
"She hurt Quatre?" Relena said looking more upset then ever at the thought of someone picking on Quatre of all people.  
  
"False alarm, Heero." Duo said from the doorway, a huge grin on his face that said trouble with a capital T. "I solved the mystery of Quatre's strange behavior."  
  
"What are you talking about, Duo?" Relena asked standing up.  
  
"Well when Wufei found Quatre he was all mussed up right but Quatre wouldn't tell him what had happened. So I went up and checked on the video cameras that are solar powered and wouldn't have been effected by the electronic cut to see what they saw to give me an idea what the lady did." Duo said with an even larger grin. "I got to say that it was very interesting viewing and we had nothing to really worry about. Well besides the fact that Quatre needs better security that is."  
  
"Well what happened?" Heero said, impatient with Duo. "Why was he all shook up and why are you grinning like a complete maniac over something like this?"  
  
"Lets just say that the lady thief was responsible for Quatre's dissolved appearance but I doubt he minded a bit. In fact I wouldn't have minded changing places with him, the lucky guy." Duo said moving his eyebrows up and down to drive home his point. "From where I was standing the girl's got very talented hands and Quatre was lucky enough to have her give him an upper body physical which is likely why he was more then a little dazed."  
  
"Do you mean to tell me that Quatre was up there making out with the thief?" Heero said in shock then shook his head at the very idea that Quatre would do or allow such a thing. The guy would likely have passed out first. "As in Quatre Winner, our friend and resident perfect gentleman Quatre."  
  
"Yep." Duo said with a smirk, understanding Heero's disbelief perfectly. He wouldn't have believed it himself if he hadn't seen it with his own two eyes. "I got to say he has quite a way with the ladies if last night was any indication though I have to say that she did start and finish it when Wufei interrupted."  
  
"You're joking?" Relena said with a shake of her head. 'This is Quatre we're talking about."  
  
"Nope, I have proof." Duo said holding up a cassette tape as though it were a trophy.  
  
"I don't believe you." Relena said folding her arms across her chest.  
  
"I'll prove it." Duo said heading over to Relena's TV. 


	7. She Sang to Me

Disclaimer: Own nothing but the plot and characters 

She Sang to Me 

"Hey, Quatre. Hold on a second will ya." Quatre bit back a groan as he saw Duo, Heero, Wufei and Milliardo walking towards him. Duo having been the one to speak and judging by his friend's smile Duo had something big to talk about of the wild grinning kind.  
  
"Hey guys, what's up?" Quatre said as he moved to let a cadet get by him, his hands stuffed in his pockets. He was feeling very fine and he doubted there was anything that could ruin his current good mood but he just had this strange feeling he wasn't going to like whatever it was Duo had to say.  
  
"We just wanted to make sure that you were alright." Wufei said as he came to a stop in front of him, not quite able to meet Quatre's eye. He was feeling more then a tad uncomfortable now that he knew what he'd interrupted "You feeling alright?"  
  
"Like I said before I'm fine." Quatre said with a slight laugh, not sure whether to be relieved or not. He didn't really want to talk about what had happened but he'd rather talk about that then whatever was making Duo look the way he did. "Never felt better, there's really no need for you guys to worry." he added thinking that the only way he could be any better would be if Night were to appear in front of him.   
  
"I'll say." Duo said under his breath so that Quatre couldn't make it out. "Are you sure, Quatre? I mean if she was one of those colony kids then she could've done a lot of damage without you even realizing it. Seeing as you work with Lady Une I'm surprised she didn't attack you and do lord only knows what."  
  
"Like I said I'm fine. She didn't lay a finger on me." Quatre said lying through his teeth which was rare for him to be sure. She'd laid more then a finger on him and he had the scratches on his back to prove it. "Like I told Wufei I tripped over something in the dark."  
  
"She didn't lay a finger on you?" Duo said raising an eyebrow at the big lie coming from Quatre's mouth. This day was just getting more interesting by the minute.  
  
"I'm fine guys, really. Duo, why are you grinning like that?" Quatre said suddenly getting the feeling that he had just walked into a trap and closed the door for them.  
  
"Well it looked to me like she had her hands on you and several other parts of your autonomy, buddy of mine" Duo said with an even wider grin splitting his face if that were possible. "Of course I guess I could be wrong. What do you think, Heero?"  
  
"What are you talking about, Maxwell?" Quatre said as he tried his best not to show any emotion to the comment though he was itching to. Duo hadn't been there, so what did he mean by that comment?   
  
"Well Wufei was worried about you so I went and checked the solar video cameras on your roof to see how she got in undetected." Duo said with a smirk, heading towards the punch line. "I got to say it was an enjoyable task, I never thought you had it in you."  
  
"Video?" Quatre said then slowly felt his blood pressure soar as it sunk in. Duo had found a tape that had recorded what had happened last night on the roof echoed over and over in his head till it was like a chant. Recalling exactly what they'd been doing on the roof Quatre felt his face begin to heat up and when he finally managed to speak it came out in a near roar. "HAND IT OVER, MAXWELL!! NOW!!"  
  
"Whhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaattttt!" Duo said automatically taking the tape out from behind his back and before anyone could comment Quatre grabbed it out of his hand with startling speed.  
  
"Whoa Quatre." Heero said rather impressed by Quatre's show of speed. He'd never seen Quatre move so fast ever.  
  
"I'll see you guys later." Quatre said as he marched away without another word taking the tape with him.

Later that day   
  
"Ahhhhhhhh, Eve?" Eve quickly slipped out of a particularly vivid dream involving a certain delectable blonde and snapped back to attention to look up at Darius who was watching her with a curious look on his face. She'd come to the cafe to relax and she didn't appreciate being interrupted especially when the dream had been getting interesting.  
  
"What is it, Darius?" Eve said letting her annoyance show. They weren't supposed to talk in public and the last thing she needed was for someone to get suspicious.  
  
"Have you heard about what they're calling Quatre Winner now?" Darius said looking too innocent for comfort. Something was definitely up and she had a feeling she wasn't going to like it one little bit. At her blank look he grinned and elaborated. "They're calling him Hot Lips and several other variations of that now." Darius said slipping into the chair beside her practically vibrating with anticipation.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Eve said suspiciously, the fact that she was not liking that look at all clear. "Quatre? Why would they call him that? Duo maybe but Quatre? He's not exactly what you'd call a ladies man." Eve said as she moved over a bit feeling a tad uncomfortable. The again he was talented enough to be one, Eve added to herself as she recalled just how talented his hands were. And she'd thought he was talented with the violin! He was even better using his hands in other areas not that she'd ever admit it.  
  
"Well you see Cadet Huntker was in the audio room while Duo was reviewing several security tapes from the new solar powered cameras that he'd installed at Quatre's house recently. Turns out the one from last night was a real steamer." Darius said with a wicked grin as he waited for his meaning to hit. He was already making plans to steal and view the tape and was dying to see her reaction.  
  
"You didn't tell me there were surveillance cameras that operated on solar power." Eve said quietly, deadly quiet. That was never a good thing. 

"They put them in after the elevator incident and they figured out what kind of people they were dealing with. I didn't know about the cameras, it was kept very hush hush for obvious reasons." Darius said rather glad he hadn't known now though he was likely the only one on their team that was.  
  
"Who has the tape?" Eve said with a touch of anger, her control over her boiling hot rage slipping by the second..  
  
"Quatre has it now. Or at least one copy of it." Darius said with a touch of irony not lost to her. He obviously thought this was all very funny. He wouldn't be thinking it was funny when she shoved the tapes up his scrawny ass. "Seeing as Duo found it first there's probably more then one copy now."  
  
"Well then I guess I better see that those tapes disappear." Eve said with a voice so cold there was a noticeable chill in the air.  
  
Later on that evening  
  
"What did I ever do to deserve this kind of life? I baby-sat for mom, did my homework, chores and went to church every Sunday. Or at least I did when I still had a soul. God, if you can hear me then I suggest you start cutting me some slack before I start thinking about becoming an atheist." Eve said as she turned the door handle carefully and hoped for the best. She had Duo's extra copy and a warning against repetition to be delivered tomorrow, now it was time to get the original copy from Quatre. " And of course he couldn't put it anywhere in the house, he had to take it to his room." Eve said under her breath, her voice more then a touch peeved off. She'd finished searching everywhere else and Quatre's bedroom was last on her list for obvious reasons. It didn't help that he was in there either. She should have probably waited but she couldn't risk anymore copies or actual video footage of her running around. There were a few of Keyda's grandfather's spies in Preventers and the last thing she needed was for one of them to get a hold of a copy of it. Or to put it online for perverted middle aged nerds pleasure, Eve thought darkly. Gentle pressing on the door Eve quickly slipped inside soundlessly. She'd slipped a load of sleeping pills into his coffee before he'd left work so he should be dead to the world but just in case. Hand on the gun strapped to her side she crouched and waited to see if anything would happen. She could just make out a male form under the covers which presumably was Quatre and staying perfectly still Eve waited for four minutes before moving. Slinking around Eve carefully closed the door behind her and straightening up walked noiselessly over to the bed. Standing over him Eve looked down and staring at the still form of her newest thorn in her side with an odd fascination. Do all men look like that when they sleep? Eve wondered. She'd seen her brothers and dad sleeping and they had looked just like Quatre did now. Like sleeping angels, Eve thought as she grinned at the fanciful thought. When they were sleeping was the only time anyone could've called her brothers angels in any sense of the word. She'd slipped into other male bedrooms to get information but she'd never bothered to look at her victims. Then again she didn't think she'd ever had a victim with such a nice ass, Eve thought as she admired Quatre's fine form. Damn but I'm getting weak in the head, Eve thought as she turned away from him to search his desk.  
  
Thirty minutes later she was ready to shoot someone and she couldn't decide between Duo and Blue eyes, well in truth with Quatre it was more appealing to think of other things to do to him. "Where did you put it?" Eve muttered under her breath as she relocked his safe. "You must have been awesome at hide and go seek when you were a kid you know that."  
  
"Irisaaaaaaaaa." A tortured voice yelled out as if in response though the answer didn't fit the question. Turning her head Eve flinched as she watched Quatre roll over and call out another woman's name with such anguish. Irisa? Who was she? Wasn't that the name of Quatre's sister? The one that was killed during the war? She'd read up on him after all and knew that he'd lost his mother as a boy and his father and sister Irisa during the war when their home came under attack. Understanding now Eve walked back over to the bed where Quatre had begun to roll around and with her superior vision Eve could make out the pain twisting his features even in the darkness. "No, Irisa! You can't die. Noooooooooooooooo!" Quatre screamed and very nearly threw himself off the bed in the process. Instinctively Eve grabbed him by the shoulders to keep him from rolling off and with a strength that surprised her Quatre latched onto her wrists and yanked her hands off of him. "No I have to save her."  
  
"Quatre, it's just a dream." Eve said quietly as she once again got a hold of him, this time anticipating resistance and putting more of an effort into holding him down. "Everything's all right, go back to sleep."  
  
"I've got to save her." Quatre replied rapidly, sitting up and blinked around him as though searching for her, expecting her to be there.  
  
"It's okay Quatre, she's safe. No one can hurt her now." Eve said as she gently pressed him back into the bed. "She's safe. She's in a place where no one can ever hurt her, Quatre." Eve said as she tucked the covers in around him with care. "I swear that to you."  
  
"Angel? Is that you? Irisa, she's alright? You promise?" Quatre said as he looked pleadingly up at her as he let her press him back into the bed. "Don't go, Angel. I don't want you to go." Quatre said latching onto her arm as she made to leave. "Stay."  
  
"I have to go, Quatre." Eve said as she placed a hand over his. "I don't belong here."  
  
"I want you to stay. You chase the nightmares away. When I'm with you everything else goes away." Quatre said looking pleadingly up at her. He's not even fully awake Eve, Eve thought to herself as she tried to ignore the pleading looks he was giving her. She was a thief and assassin, not a nanny, Eve continued as she tried to slide her hand out of his without success. What was she supposed to do?  
  
"Quatre..." Eve began but Quatre only responded by tightening his grip on her arm and pulling her closer. "What am I suppose to do?" Eve finished as she allowed Quatre to pull her closer, becoming his security blanket of sorts. "How do I get myself into these situations?" Tugging a couple more times Eve finally gave up. The only way to break his grip would be to break some fingers, which would wake him up completely and that was the last thing she needed. What she needed was for him to fall back asleep so that she could get away but how? How did her mom use to get them to go to sleep? "Quatre, would you like me to sing you to sleep?" Eve said hesitantly not sure what he'd think of that comment. She rarely sang anymore but then she hadn't had a reason to in a long time.  
  
"You'll stay?" Quatre said loosening his hold slightly.  
  
"For a while." Eve said sitting down on the bed. Happily Quatre fell back on his pillow though he continued to hold onto her wrist. "What would you like to hear?"  
  
"Your favorite, Angel." Quatre said sleepily.  
  
"Okay then." Eve said with a small smile. Her favorite song. He sure wasn't asking much. She hadn't sang her favorite song for years. But somehow it seemed right to sing it here to him. Taking a deep breath Eve smiled at Quatre then closing her eyes allowed the words to flow from her mouth as the beautiful sound of her voice quietly filled the room.  
  
"He called her on the road  
From a lonely cold hotel room  
Just to hear her say I love you one more time  
  
And when he heard the sound  
Of the kids laughing in the background  
He had to wipe away a tear from his eye  
A little voice came on the phone  
Said "Daddy when you coming home?"  
He said the first thing that came to his mind  
  
I'm already there  
Take a look around  
I'm the sunshine in your hair  
I'm the shadow on the ground  
I'm the whisper in the wind  
I'm your imaginary friend  
And I know, I'm in your prayers  
Oh I'm already there  
  
She got back on the phone  
Said I really miss you, darling  
Don't worry about the kids they'll be alright  
Wish I was in your arms  
Lying right there beside you  
But I know that I'll be in your dreams tonight  
And I'll gently kiss your lips  
Touch you with my fingertips  
So turn out the light and close your eyes  
  
I'm already there  
Don't make a sound  
I'm the beat in your heart  
I'm the moonlight shining down  
I'm the whisper in the wind  
And I'll be there until the end  
Can you feel the love that we share  
Oh I'm already there  
  
We may be a thousand miles apart  
But I'll be with you wherever you are  
I'm already there 

Take a look around  
I'm the sunshine in your hair  
I'm the shadow on the ground  
I'm the whisper in the wind  
And I'll be there until the end  
Can you feel the love that we share  
Oh I'm already there  
  
I'm already there." Eve said quietly, finishing the last verse then turned to look at Quatre. His breathing was once again soft and steady and when she moved her arm her hand slide from his with minimum reluctance. Tucking the covers more tightly around him Eve placed a chaste kiss on his forehead then slowly exited the room, unaware that the pillow Quatre slept on hid a small, black video tape.  
  
The next morning   
  
Quatre walked into the kitchen with a smile on his face and a spring in his step. "Well someone's in a good mood." Relena commented as she took a sip of orange juice she'd just poured into her cup, glad to see him in a good mood.  
  
"I don't know what it was but I slept great." Quatre said taking a glass out of the cupboard and sat down beside Relena. "Then again I did nod off pretty quick last night, was dead tired for some reason."  
  
"Well maybe you should keep listening to music while you're sleeping, it obviously helped you this time." Relena said passing him the pitcher of orange juice when he started to reach over for it. When he asked what she was talking about Relena didn't know quite what to think. "But I heard music coming from your room last night. I couldn't sleep so I went down to get some water and I heard Eve Tenchi's voice coming from your room. I'd know her voice anywhere." Relena said with a puzzled look on her face.  
  
"Who?" Quatre said in surprise as he blinked at the certainty in her voice. He didn't recognize the name and he definitely knew that he didn't have any music by her, whoever she is since then logic dictated he'd know the name.  
  
"Eve Tenchi was one of the "Angels", Quatre. They were a family singing group that were really popular before the war." Duo said walking into the room, rubbing his eyes sleepily. "Now there was one good looking babe."  
  
"DUO!" Relena yelled as she caught sight of her husband's best friend, unable to quite believe her eyes as she completely forgot all about Eve Tenchi. "YOUR HAIR! What did you do to it, Duo?"  
  
"Oh my God!" Quatre said dropping his glass onto the floor where it splintered into a hundred pieces though no one seemed to notice. "What did you do, Maxwell? And for that matter why did you do it?"  
  
"What is it, guys? You're scaring me, what about my hair?" Duo said looking nervously from one to the other. When all anyone seemed capable of doing was gap at him Duo started to get really worried and could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up on end. "What are you two gaping at?" Duo demanded quite beyond a little worried now. Not even waiting for an answer he ran back the way he came and headed straight for the hallway mirror. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!SON OF A BITCH!!!!!!! #!%#!!!!! #%#!!"  
  
"I don't think he dyed his hair on purpose." Relena said dryly as she winced at the swear words and phrases echoing off the walls.  
  
"IT'S RED! SOMEONE DYED MY BEAUTIFUL HAIR BRIGHT RED!!!!! Son of a friggin bitch. #% ###% %!!!!"  
  
"Hey, Duo. What's the idea with the yelling and screaming huh? Some of us prefer to sleep in on a Saturday morning." Heero said walking down the stairs with a bad tempered look on his face that quickly turned into a look of complete and utter shock. "What the Hell did you do to your HAIR?"  
  
"I didn't do it." Duo cried in a voice similar to someone who had just lost someone or something they loved deeply. "Someone else did it to me AND when I find out who did it heads are going to roll. My poor beautiful hair!!!" Duo added with a cry close to agony. 


	8. Green Eyed Monsters

Green Eyed Monsters  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the song Genie in A Bottle but I couldn't resist using it and everything other then my original characters and plots belong to someone else.

Note: Sry for the )s, they're to make the spacing for my paragraphs since fanfic net screws with mine as you'll have noticed. 

Green Eyed Monsters  
  
"But what I still don't get is where the singing was coming from, guys. Maybe I was dream walking but I didn't even recognize the song she was singing which doesn't make any sense at all. I mean I have at least one of her family CDs around the house somewhere but if I was going to hear her in my dreams why would I pick a song I didn't even know? I would have had to make the song all up in my head and I always need help writing my speeches which are likely easier then song writing." Relena said as she finished the rest of her cookie with a peeved off look. This was all really starting to bother her because she had a feeling she was missing something important. She, Noin and Sally had developed a habit of sharing lunch together whenever possible which was what she was up to now as they tried to help her solve the puzzle. Though Preventers was started by women there weren't a lot as old as they were so the three women tended to stick together and this was an interesting mystery.  
  
"Who did you say her voice sounded like again?" Sally said as she poured herself more coffee even though she really shouldn't. She'd spent the hour before arguing with Wufei and she needed something to take her mind off it. A caffeine fix sounded good to her.  
  
"Well that's the weird thing, it sounded like Eve Tenchi's voice." Relena said with a shrug but she just couldn't get it off her mine. "So I had to be dreaming of course because she's dead but on the other hand whoever or whatever I heard was her voice, no question.."  
  
"You mean Eve Tenchi as in Adam Tenchi the singer's sister?" Noin said in surprise as she raised an eyebrow. "That's weird, especially since pretty much every song she was ever recorded singing was on that memorial CD they did for her and her family and I know you have it because I've borrowed it or did until I got my own copy. Now those were singers you could listen to for hours on end." 

) 

"Who are you three talking about?" Heero asked as he, Duo, Wufei and Milliardo walked into the room to see the girls deep in thought. Usually they were chattering away like hens during this break but they seemed to be having a serious discussion.  
  
"Eve Tenchi the singer? Now there was one hot babe, hubba hubba!!" Duo said dramatically as he placed a hand over his heart. "There was one girl who was most definitely worth fighting over."

"I remember Adam Tenchi, what a hunk!" Sally said dreamily as she pictured him in one of the posters that use to hang in her room before she'd gotten too old to hang pictures of singers and movie stars on her walls. She recalled being very careful taking the poster off the wall and rolling it up and saving it instead of throwing it away or giving it to someone as she'd done most of the others.  
  
"No kidding, what a hunk doesn't even begin to describe what he was. I had such a huge crush on him when I was younger." Noin said as she smiled at the memories those thoughts invoked. Happy memories of life before she was too busy with instructing soldiers and doing paperwork till her hands threatened to up and die on her. "I had all his discs the first week they were out and I had so many posters it wasn't even funny. A lot of my allowance money went to that family." Noin said with a laugh as she shook her dark head at the kid she'd been.  
  
"What!" Milliardo said not liking the sound of that at all. He didn't like the sound of his wife mooning over anyone but him.  
  
"He was a hunk but I always preferred Gabriel myself." Relena said slyly as she watched a huge frown take over the love of her life's face. Heero looked so cute when he wanted to pout but wouldn't let himself.  
  
)  
  
"Who the Hell is or was Gabriel?" Heero demanded joining Milliardo on the jealous husband crusade for blood that the women found comical and cute while the guys could only sympathize with their fellow men. "And why are you three acting like a bunch of hormone crazed teenagers anyway? I've never even heard any of you mention these guys before and now your acting like they're made out of chocolate!"  
  
"Gabriel was Adam's younger brother and three years older then Eve. He was hot to but there was just something about Adam that stood him a part in my oh so biased opinion. I always wished I'd had the chance to meet him." Noin said as she pictured her former teen idol with a twinkle in her eye. "And they were singers, Heero."  
  
"Yea Adam's voice had a way of making you feel like he was singing just for you. The fact that he was drop dead gorgeous didn't hurt either." Sally said with a similar twinkle in her eye that said point blank that she was similar to Noin in her thoughts concerning the oldest Tenchi. Watching the men try and cope with their women sighing over other men was getting to be rather entertaining as well.  
  
) 

"You're drooling, Sally." Wufei said not liking this much either though he'd never admit it. He'd have thought Sally would have more sense then to fall for some guy who'd made a career out of his looks. He'd thought she was smarter then that though he'd never say so. The guy probably wasn't even that good of a singer anyway.  
  
"Trust me on this, Chang. Adam and Gabriel were definitely worth drooling over." Noin said with a wicked grin, picking up on Wufei's mood and having a fondness for bugging the guy kept it up. "I know a lot of girls who'd have sold their souls to the devil for a chance to even just go out on a date with one of the guys. Myself included." Noin said sending a wink in the girls' direction, the girls nodding their heads in agreement.  
  
"What do you mean you'd sell your soul for a chance to date this guy!" Milliardo said getting more and more upset by the second. The other Gundam pilots weren't exactly crazy about the girls' obsession either. They were use to see them act intelligent and level headed, not acting like hormone crazed teenagers gushing over a bunch of egotistic preppy boys who'd probably gotten where they were by their looks and sex appeal. What was wrong with them today?  
  
"Oh calm down you guys. It's not like were going to up and leave you guys for them. Besides it's not possible for any of us to date them, single or not." Relena said with a dramatic look of woe though it really was a sad story. She wished that they'd lived through the war instead of being wiped out so quickly and out of nowhere.  
  
)

"What's up guys? Why do you guys look like you're about to kill someone?" Quatre said as he surveyed the room before any of the guys could comment, an uneasy chill rolling down his spine. For some reason he got the feeling he'd be wishing he hadn't walked into the room very shortly. "Did we have a meeting and I forgot?"  
  
"They all want to kill the Tenchi brothers but like I was about to say they can't because they're both dead." Sally said as she watched the males in the room sighed with relief and thought about reprimanding them for it but couldn't really see the point in it. "And no we didn't have a meeting so don't worry, Quatre. Us girls were just talking about Eve Tenchi and the guys wandered in here to bug us and interrupt our lunch hour with their green monsteracitis."  
  
"What she means was that they were discussing whether or not some sissy named Gabriel was better looking then some guy named Adam." Heero said glaring at the girls as though they'd committed a crime instead of talking appreciatively about males that they weren't involved in which the girls thought was just hilarious.  
  
"Well I always was of the opinion that Eve was a hell of a lot better looking then the two of them put together." Duo said as he snatched a cookie off the desk and received a whack on the head from Sally for his attempt.  
  
"Those are our cookies and seeing as you're a boy you'd naturally think she was better looking then the guys! Nice hair by the way." Sally said deliberately staring at the ball cap Duo was wearing to hide some of the damage till he could dye it back.  
  
"Oh shut up." Duo said pulling the brim of his hat lower.

) 

"Why are you guys talking about them anyway?" Wufei said as he frowned at Sally with a possessiveness that surprised her but made her smile slightly because she knew he'd put his sword to his throat before he'd admit it. It was rather cute the way he was in denial and she could only hope she was around to see his face when he figured out that he liked her as more then just a friend.  
  
"We were talking about them because they're related to a weird dream I had last night that the girls are helping me figure out." Relena said then blushed slightly as she realized how her words could be interpreted.  
  
"What dream?" Heero growled wishing the guys weren't dead so that he could personally kill them himself one at a time and in a most painful way.  
  
" So you figured out it was just a dream?" Quatre said as he sat down on the couch that had been placed off to the side of the room, rather enjoying the show now that he was sure he wasn't going to accidentally set off a land mine. At least this took their mind off staring at him strangely because of that stupid tape Duo had seen fit to show around. He'd had enough weird looks to last him a long time.  
  
"Well she couldn't have actually been there and you said you didn't have any of her music playing so I must have dreamed it. But it was so real." Relena said shrugging her shoulders in confusion. She'd pretty much come to the conclusion that it was just one of those things she'd never me able to explain.  
  
"Would someone please explain what they're talking about." An agitated Heero demanded impatiently.

) 

"Relena thought she heard Eve Tenchi's voice coming from Quatre's room last night, Heero. Since Eve's dead and Quatre didn't leave music playing it had to have been a dream or her imagination." Sally said with a small feline smile in Wufei's direction since the man still looked like some of his feathers were still ruffled. "It's just that it seemed to real to her to be a dream and she's never slept walk before to her knowledge."  
  
"What happened to them, Sally? How is it that they're all dead?" Quatre said as he leaned forward with an interested look. "I think I remember some of my sisters mentioning the group and going into serious morning over the loss of the male members of the group."  
  
"They were all killed during the war. Adam was supposedly killed on a mission when he joined a special branch of Oz and the rest of the family was killed at...ooh MY God!!" Noin said as it hit her full in the face the piece she'd been missing.  
  
"Noin, what is it?" Milliardo said rushing over to his wife's side to take her hand. She'd gone so pale of a sudden and he was all set to order Sally to hurry up and help her when Noin gasped out the reason for her face.  
  
"The rest of the family was on the Kesiki colony when it was destroyed. That was the colony they got all the children for the Hunter Project from!"  
  
)  
  
later that day  
  
Eve slowly followed the man keeping well in the shadows which was second nature to her by now. He wasn't as sloppy as the others had been but he was still no match for her. She'd been following Relena when she'd noticed she wasn't the only one doing so and so she'd circled back, the dumb idiot hadn't even noticed so intent was he on his prey. You just broke one of the cardinal rules, moron, Eve thought as she moved to avoid a puddle. Never forget to observe your prey's surroundings. Watching him come to a stop in front of an apartment building Eve watched him pull down the fire escape and begin climbing up. The old shot them from the top of a building routine Eve thought as she headed for the apartments doors, how unoriginal. Walking through the doors like she owned the place Eve headed straight for the elevators and punched in the button for the top floor. Beating her fingers impatiently against the wall Eve mentally urged it to move faster. She had no intention of allowing the stupid jerk top succeed and if the elevator didn't hurry up the world was going to be minus a Vice Foreign Peace Minister. Luckily the button chimed her arrival and the doors slide open to reveal the roof. Stepping out Eve calmly removed her long jacket to reveal two guns strapped to her hips and had someone had x-ray vision they have seen the knife attached to the belt as well. Throwing the jacket over the railing near the door Eve quickly removed her shades and began scanning. Her green eyes came alight with an unholy glare as she caught sight of her target setting up his long-range rifle for go. Walking quietly Eve slowly approached him, watching him shrug out of his jacket and wipe a smudge on his lens. "Prepare to die, Minister.Yuy." The man said as he lined up his shot.  
  
"Not today." Were the last words he heard as Eve came from behind, grabbed his rifle out of his hand and then grabbing his head snapped his neck like a toothpick. Then with a quick kick sent the body flying over the edge to the hard pavement below. Waiting for the expected screams and shouting Eve stayed in the shadows and hearing the sound of an ambulance smiled then took stock of her new toy. "Well it's a bit crude but I think it could be turned into a useful toy." Walking back Eve picked up her jacket and slugging the rifle over her shoulder went to find a good hiding place for the weapon so that she could leave it then come back for it when she was sure that nothing else would happened tonight.

Meanwhile  
  
"I got it." Noin said walking in with several discs under her arm and wondered if she was right and if she was right if it really had been Eve Tenchi in there singing before or after she'd possibly played with Duo's hair.  
  
"And we've got the sketches." Heero said as he held up the sketches they had done of Quatre's version of what their assassin looked like as well as the printouts they'd gotten off the security cameras when she'd broken in to Preventers.  
  
"And I got Heero's lab top which we can hook up so that we can find info from the database. I would imagine that there will be hundreds of thousands to chose from given how popular they were and how many memorial shrines were set up for them." Duo said holding the lap top up with a smirk.  
  
"Well lets see what the computer has on her first and confirm that she was on Kesiki when it was hit." Lady Une said as she came into the room wondering if she would soon be learning that she'd been a part of murdering one of the most internationally loved and recognized bands of this century. She herself had loved the Tenchi family singers and still had several of their CDs. For some reason that thought horrified her.

) 

"Okay, I'll see what the computer has to say." Heero said as he hooked up his computer to the projector so that they could see as well while he went into the search engine he prefered to use. Typing in the name of the group Angels he didn't get anything so instead he tried Eve Tenchi instead. Heero hit the Enter key and was soon blasted with a huge list of shrines.  
  
"What the Hell!" Milliardo exclaimed as he stared at the huge number of shrines having not expected to see so many, especially when they were just under the girl's name and not the enitire family.  
  
"No way." Duo said in surprise.  
  
"I've got to look into these later." Noin said as she surveyed the huge list of shrines dedicated to the group, especially to Adam and Eve who seemed to be the post popular for the kids. It made sense though since they'd been the most fan dedicated out of the family where as Gabriel had been camera shy as she recalled.  
  
"Why don't you guys try asking for just Eve Tenchi information so that you'll just get her shrines that have more then just pictures and more pictures." Noin said as she smiled at the male expressions. Shrugging Heero did as he was told and another equally long list appeared.  
  
"Why don't you try the third one." Sally said with a smile. "That's the first one that doesn't have endearments or slang in the title."  
  
"Okay the Adam and Eve Tenchi Information and Image Gallery shrine it is." Heero said as he clicked on the title. Instantly the screen was taken over by a huge poster of a young man holding an equally good-looking girl against his side with the words enter at the bottom in flowing black script with roses on either end. The male had thick black hair and sparkling green eyes while the girl he held with obvious affection had pale blonde hair and eyes the same shade of green, the two obviously related.  
  
"Isn't she hot, guys?" Duo said as he eyed the picture before turning to wink at Quatre. "If that's your girl you're one lucky man, Quatre."  
  
"There are some similarities to the thief." Quatre admitted as he looked at the smiling girl thinking how different the familr face was. Some part of him told him that this was her, but he hoped it wasn't because he didn't want this vibrant and happy female on the screen to have gone through the torture of inhumane experimentation and forced to live while everyone she loved was dead. To have become the assassin they were looking for and that he'd met. 


	9. Voice of An Angel

Disclaimer: Do I really need to even bother lol. 

Note: Sry bout the )s but it's the only way I can space my chapters for paragraphs that works right now. 

) 

Voice of An Angel 

"Well it says here that she died on the colony and on the date Lady Une remembers it to be. It also says that she had two younger siblings and older brother Gabriel as well as their parents with her." Heero said as he searched the site for more clues, looking into the biographys of the preformers. 

"The only other girl in the family was named Sarah who was eight so I think that rules her out. If any female member of the Tenchi survived it would have to be Eve. She's the only one who could fit age wise." Relena said sadly as her eyes grew misty. While Heero had been flipping through they'd seen several images of the whole family and it brought tears to her eyes to think of what had become of them. 

"What we need is to get a 3D image of her to compare Quatre's memory with." Milliardo said as he too felt sad. He and Relena had never had a chance to be as close as the Tenchi family had obviously been but the family had known just as much about the cruelty humans could inflict on their fellow man. 

"I can take care of that." Noin said holding up the tapes grimly. "These are some recordings of the Angels in concert that I found in with some of my old stuff. This one should have a fairly recent image of her before she was declared dead and since she was fifteen she wouldn't have changed to much since then." 

) 

"Well then lets check them out." Relena said accepting the latest tape from Noin and slid it into her VCR. Instantly the screen was filled with the images of screaming fans then slowly zoomed into a single person coming out from left stage. Quickly the camera went from a wide view to a close up of Adam Tenchi as the camera zoomed in on his grinning face.

"Hubba, hubba." Sally said quoting Duo's earlier phrase and indeed he was. With his good looks and easy charm he thanked everyone for coming and thanked the ladies in the crowd especially for their enthusiastic welcome.

"And now ladies and gentlemen I give you a lady very dear to my heart who's going to raise your blood pressure a little. May I present to you my lovely sister the Brat, aka Evieeeeee!" On cue a sweet young female voice rang out from the middle of the stage though she wasn't visible to the camera or audience in the darkness that had come over the stage as the lights were turned off.

"You know something, Adam. Before you called me Brat I was all set to behave tonight but that brat comment has just sealed your fate. Now I'm not just going to warm them up, I'm going to burn them to a crisp. Hit it."

Instantly the room was filled by the sound of a piano and a quick Latin beat. A spotlight appeared and centered on a curvious blonde standing dead center in the stage with her back to the audience. Her long blonde hair was like a curtain down her back reaching almost half way down her back., swaying slightly in the breeze of the night air. As the music's tempo increased the blonde began to remove her jacket revealing bare back as she slid it slowly down as she began to sing, her back still turned to the audience.

I feel like I've been locked up tight  
for a century of lonely nights;  
waiting for someone  
to release me.

With that phrase the girl whipped off the jacket to reveal a completely bare back with no evidence she was wearing a shirt on to the excitement of the crowd. Instantly the catcalls began and the males in the meeting room had to agree with them. Fifteen or not this girl was hot and they were all looking forward to her turning around.

You're licking your lips and blowing kisses my way,  
But that don't mean I'm gonna give it away;  
Baby, baby, baby.

As she finished the last line she spun around to face them showing that in fact the shirt did have a front skimpy though it was which caused more then one groan from the male audience as she broke into the next verses hair flying and body moving.

Oh whoa... My body's saying let's go.  
Oh whoa... But my heart is saying no.

"You know what I always liked most about her was her taste in clothing." Relena said with an appreciative look on her face. "She was never afraid of what other people thought of her style or taste."

"You ever go out in public wearing a shirt like that I'm locking you in our room for the rest of your life." Heero growled though the thought of his wife in a shirt like that definitely sounded interesting. The shirt was completely see through in the back and only covered her upper chest where it was necessary. What would Relena look like in a shirt like that?

If you wanna be with me, baby, there's a price you pay.  
I'm a genie in a bottle, you gotta rub me the right way.  
If you wanna be with me, I can make your wish come true.  
You gotta make a big impression, I gotta like what you do.

"God if it is her I'll be more then happy to take her out of your hands, Q-man. If you ever change your mind that is." Duo said with his tongue practically hanging out as he watched her swing her hips to the beat.

I'm a genie in a bottle, baby.  
Gotta rub me the right way, honey.  
I'm a genie in a bottle, baby,  
Come, come, come and let me out.

"She's only fifteen Duo for God sakes." Milliardo said shaking his head at the younger man's reaction to the singer even though he had to admit he could see Duo's point.

"Really then I guess there's no excuse for the way you're looking at her then." Noin said with an evil grin on her face, enjoying her husband's struggle not to look at the screen unprofessionally. Plus Relena had given her the just of the tape Duo had gotten and it sounded to her like the only pilot the girl was possibly interested in was Quatre.

"Actually that would make her our age now." Quatre said quietly as his eyes remained glued to the screen. This was his Night; there was no doubt in his mind.

The music's playing and the lights' down low,  
One more dance and then we're good to go;  
Waiting for someone  
Who needs me.  
My heart is beating at the speed of light,  
But that don't mean it's gotta be tonight;  
Baby, baby, baby.

"What do you say after this is over we kick the boys out and watch the guys perform for a while then reconvene later to have a Tenchi drool fest?" Noin whispered to Sally as she rolled her eyes at the guys who were ALL staring at Eve as she sashayed around the stage and generally short circuited every male brain in sight. Men were so easy that way.

"If that's Quatre's girl then I think we're going to have to watch our men make complete fools of themselves on a daily basis." Sally said beginning to get rather annoyed at Wufei's actions though she did her best to hide it. Not that Wufei was paying any attention to her to begin with. "If they gets any closer to the screen they're all going to permanently ruin their vision."

Oh whoa... My body's saying let's go.  
Oh whoa... But my heart is saying no.

"Count me in." Relena said with a wicked grin as she patted Sally on the shoulder sympathetically as she understood where Sals was coming from. Once she got over the fact that Heero was going gaga over some singer she'd likely be mad too. "Have you got a copy of Adam and Gabriel singing "Dance with Me Baby" by any chance?"

"What self respecting Adam lover doesn't." Noin said with a grin.

If you wanna be with me, baby, there's a price you pay.  
I'm a genie in a bottle, you gotta rub me the right way.  
If you wanna be with me, I can make your wish come true.  
Come and set me free, baby, and I'll be with you. I'm a genie in a bottle,  
Gotta rub me the right way.  
I'm a genie in a bottle, baby,  
Come, come, come and let me out.

"How about it, Quatre. Is she the assassin?" Wufei said trying to ignore the girl on the screen but she was almost hypnotic. It wasn't her sex appeal that attracted him so much as the joy on her face, the love of music and just the goodwill and happiness that she radiated like a beacon. It was contagious and made him want to smile in return. 

Oh whoa... My body's saying let's go.  
Oh whoa... But my heart is saying no.

"Yea, I think so." Quatre said watching her wiggle her fingers at the audience, telling them that her heart was saying no. Even at fifteen she'd moved with the grace and elegance of a cat. Slow and sassy, like the girl who'd invaded his thoughts and dreams since the day they'd met.

If you wanna be with me, baby, there's a price you pay.  
I'm a genie in a bottle, you gotta rub me the right way.  
If you wanna be with me, I can make your wish come true.  
You gotta make a big impression, I gotta like what you do.  
Come, come, come and let me out.

As the music faded away the crowd went wild with cheers and catcalls, Eve waving at everyone and the smile she gave was warm and friendly. She introduced the next act and as her brothers walked onto the stage Heero hit the off button. "So you think it's her, Quatre?" Heero said turning the television off. She hadn't been at all what he'd expected and yet something in Quatre's face told him that they'd found their assassin, another person who'd been made into something they were not because of war.

"I can't say for sure but if I was to guess then yes, I think it's her."

Elsewhere

Keyda stood in front of the building and pulled her long coat more tightly around her. Lifting her right hand she once again checked her watch then sighing dropped her hand back to her side. Where are you, Keyda thought scanning the crowds through her tinted lenses, aware that she could see everyone but no one could see her expression of worry and fear. Every time she got together with him it was a risk. If anyone knew of their connection or the feelings she had for him then they would be used against her without a qualm. Her grandfather would not be understanding. But then again her grandfather wasn't in touch with his emotions and wouldn't have understood doing anything because of love. He'd always said that anyone who does something based on emotion was a fool who deserved what they got. So why do we do it, Keyda thought for the millionth time but then out of the corner of her eye Keyda saw the reason why she risked her life, the only real reason she had for living. "Trowa."

"Keyda." Trowa said as he caught sight of her leaning up against a building. Her long black hair flying around her face she'd tried to draw as little attention as possible but that was impossible. She could be wearing rags and she'd still be the most beautiful woman the world had ever seen. Weaving his way through the crowds the stress of the last days melted away as they always did when he saw her. She was his light, his soul and without her he was nothing. But to claim her as his own would end in their deaths so they were forced to live like this, living for the brief moments they could be together. Watching her head slowly turn to face him Trowa quickened his pace as he watched a smile bloom on her face. Coming to a stop in front of her Trowa held out his arms and held her close as she threw herself into his arms. They were together and that was all that mattered. "Any problems?" Trowa said as he lay his head on her head, content to simply stand there and hold her for the rest of his life.

"So far so good. Darius and Eve have been able to head them all off. What did you think of Eve's disguise." Keyda asked as she nuzzled Trowa's chest. 

"I wouldn't have recognized her." Trowa said with a grin as he placed a kiss on her head. "You'd never think that they were the same person. I bet she just loves playing the part of the mild and mousy secretary."

"That was the idea. Ready to blow this joint?" Keyda said lifting her head to stare into his green eyes. Tenderly Trowa removed her shades and stared back into her eyes, both correctly reading the love for the other that shone back at them.

"Ready when you are. So what are we doing this week?" Trowa said as he pulled her tightly to his side where she fit like she'd been especially made to fit him.

"Wait and see." Keyda said giving him a saucy look as she put her shades back on and breaking from his hold latched onto his hand before he could argue. "And I can guarantee that it won't be anywhere near as boring as all those meetings you had to go through this week, poor baby."

"Well then let's not waste a minute." Trowa said smiling down at her with a wicked grin that sent her heart fluttering and would have surprised the Hell out of his friends. Heck the fact that he had a girl would send their jaws flying down. "Let's go home."

Meanwhile 

Eve wondered who she should kill first and how. Personally she thought slow and painful deaths for all of them would be appropriate but Eve had a feeling that wouldn't work out well. They were a truly annoying form of life and a waste of space but they weren't exactly stupid. Then again Eve had never had much respect for them to begin with and wouldn't have minded wiping them off the planet. Of course up until now they hadn't really bothered her much, she was use to their stupidity and incompetence. But now one in particular was causing her a great deal of trouble and she'd come to realize why so many women hated them, they were worthless. And of course the few good ones were already taken or killed by their own kind because they didn't fit the stereotype. Of course the fact that she'd killed several of them already didn't help much. The one who was her problem was one that she couldn't kill. Oh if was up to her she could do it, Eve assured herself but Trowa would never forgive her if she gave into her bloodlust and blasted all his friends into pieces. No matter how satisfying it would've been. So they were digging into her past, so what? If she needed to she could send them a false lead as oppose to kill them but right now killing them sounded like a much better....

"Hello, Eve. How are you doing today?"

"Hello, Mr. Winner are you here to see Mrs. Yuy ?" Eve said typing on the keyboard automatically as she struggled not to stare up at him and put an expression of friendly professionalism on her face.

"Yes, is she available for about twenty minutes?" Quatre said noticing that she looked slightly nervous and annoyed but was doing a good job of hiding it and it had been gone pretty quick. "Is something wrong? You looked tense for a moment there."

"I'm fine, Mr. Winner. No need for you to concern yourself. Let me double check her schedule, I don't think she has anything scheduled for another half an hour." Burying her face in the planners pages Eve took a deep breath before closing it and turned her gaze back to him not even having needed to check sicne she had Rena's schedule memorized. "Just let me make sure but I think it will be fine. If you'll take a seat." Pointing to the chairs along the wall Eve moved out from behind her desk and quickly walked over to Relena's office and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?"

"Eve, Mrs. Yuy. Mr. Winner is here to see you. Should I send him in?"

"Yes please and could you make some coffee if you're not to busy?"

"Of course, ma'am."

Walking back Eve motioned Quatre through and returned his smile as he walked passed her and through the door into Relena's office. Watching him go Eve took another deep breath before walking over to the coffee machine and started a new batch of coffee. When everything was going she walked back into her seat and glanced at the screen thinking that she'd handled that very well. QUATRE WINNER were the only two words she'd repeatedly written since he'd called her name. Oh f#%k.

Elsewhere

"SHE DID THIS TO ME!!!! SHE DYED MY HAIR RED!!!!"

"Duo? What are you yelling about?" Heero said in annoyance as he watched his friend coming down the hallway at a break necking speed barely missing running a bunch of people over in his hurry. What had gotten the idiot's braid in a knot now?

"That assassin that's got it bad for Quatre, she's the one that dyed my hair." Duo said waving a piece of paper in Heero's face, annoying the perfect soldier. He'd gotten his hair dyed back to its original color a few hours ago but that wasn't the point. She'd tried to desecrate his beautiful hair and she wasn't getting away with it while he was still alive and breathing.

"How do you know that?" Quatre said as he and Relena exited her office after a brief discussion on an exporting conflict. They'd just caught the tail end of it and were both eager to hear Duo's explination though for very differnt reasons.

"She sent me this note." Duo said waving it even harder in the air. "And she sent me a knife covered in blood."

"WHAT!!" Everyone said in shock.

"Yep and she said it would be my blood next time if I don't stay out of her business. That's why she dyed my hair red, to warn me off from ever messing with her again!" Duo said with a huff.

"Let me see that." Heero said snatching the letter out of the air. "Where's the knife?"

"I left it with Sally to be analyzed." Duo said too shocked and mad to stand still and was practically vibrating with anger.

"What does it say, Heero?" Quatre said as he motioned his head in the paper's direction. Something told him she'd found out about the tape and it was probably a good idea to find out just how mad she was before they met again.

"Dear 'Shigami' ." Heero read. "You'd think someone of your experience and name would have known better then to leave the tape lying around but then maybe you've gotten sloppy in your old age. I suggest you stay away from anything involving me in the future otherwise your going to be covered in blood as bright as the color of your hair. I think you get my meaning. Night. P.S. If you continue to harass Winner and refer to me as though I were one of your empty headed bimbos I'll be forced to pay you another unpleasant visit."

"See what I mean." Duo had anxiously, wanting the sympathy he deserved. "She's going to kill me. That was laying on my bed when I went home to pick up something during lunch which means she's broken into my room twice already."

"What did she mean by tape, Duo?" Quatre said having a good idea exactly what she'd meant.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh well...... You see, Quatre it was like this......."


	10. Dragon's Lair

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the plot. Everything else belongs to someone else and I hope you read and review. Thanx! 

) 

Dragon's Lair  
  
Tapping her fingers on the keyboard Keyda stared at the e-mail Darius had sent her an hour ago with a mixture of surprise and amusement. "Well I didn't expect this."  
  
"Didn't expect what?" Trowa said leaning over her shoulder to see what had caused her to look at the screen with such a variety of emotions. They'd just finished dinner when one of the servants, Emily had mentioned that she'd heard Keyda's e-mail alarm go off and Keyda had decided to check it out in case it was important.  
  
"Nothing much." Keyda said turning off the screen before Trowa could read more then a few sentences. No way was she going to tell Trowa about the apparent success in her matchmaking attempt or that it had gone ten times better then she'd expected.  
  
"Who was it from?" Trowa placing a hand on her shoulder, resting his head on top of her head for the moment. The style and flair of writing made him think Darius but one never knew since Keyda likely knew a lot of bizarre people.  
  
"Just Darius. He's having plenty of fun annoying and taunting Milliardo, learning Preventers protocols and annoying the hell out of Eve whenever possible. The usual for him." Keyda said as she tilted her head up to look Trowa with a smirk. "No matter where or what he's doing he has a ball at someone else's expense."

)   
  
"Why Milliardo?" Trowa said not really surprised by the rest of it. Darius loved going after serious people, he viewed them as the ultimate challenge to break. The little brat was usually successful too.  
  
"Apparently Milliardo doesn't appreciate all the attention he's giving Noin." Keyda said with a grin on her face as she pictured the Lightning Baron getting a taste of what it was to be a regular human male. She knew the man was a control freak so Darius must be driving him up the wall to the extreme. "Poor guy."  
  
"That's Darius for you though. Darius and Duo must be getting along really well I would imagine." Trowa agreed as he shook his head at the two men in question and their past exploits that he knew about. Both were trouble just waiting to happen and kings at finding it if they weren't making it themselves. "I'd hate to even think what those two could pull off if they ever put their heads together."  
  
"Well as long as he doesn't get himself killed." Keyda said rising from her chair, raising her arms above her head in a quick stretch before turning around to face him with the chair still between them. "Though why Milliardo thinks he has a reason to worry is beyond me. Noin hasn't looked seriously at another male since she met the guy even though I never really got that seeing as he's always been a human icicle. Defrosting him even a centimeter must be a real challenge."  
  
"She does love him more then anything else in the world." Trowa agreed with a nod of his dark head thinking he understood Noin's love and loyalty very well. Even if the person you loved might cause you harm accidentally you could never pick the ones you love. Fate was never that kind. "Almost as much as I love you."  
  
"Ditto, Handsome. I hope he's careful though...you know what he's like when he's on a roll. Milliardo didn't become a legend by being a nice guy when crossed. Like someone else I know/" Keyda said with a wink as she moved around the chair to go to him.  
  
"Eve will save him if he gets into trouble." Trowa said confidently as he took her into his arms, nuzzling his face against her silky smooth neck. "Any news from J.C.?"  
  
)  
  
"His grades came in the mail, straight A's as usual." Keyda said fondly thinking that the boy had likely passed with flying colors while studying very little. It must be nice to have a photographic memory. The kid never forgot anything. "He wrote that everything's going well at school and he made the baseball team again. He's glad that high school's almost over though and that he'll be able to come here for the summer to stay with us. I think he misses Eve."  
  
"He'll go a long way in whatever he chooses." Trowa agreed as he rubbed her back, content with the world in general. He wasn't surprised that J.C. was doing so well and he was looking forward to seeing the boy again. He was always a positive and optimistic influence where ever he was.  
  
"Yea he will. They all would have if they'd been given the chance. Their drives were what saved them in the first place." Keyda said playing with the hair at his nape as she wondered what her Hantas would have become had they never been touched by the evil hands of Oz..  
  
"Hey, no bad thoughts tonight okay." Trowa said tilting her shin to place a kiss on her lips to wipe the sadness from her eyes.  
  
"Well then I guess you'll have to give me something else to think about won't you, Handsome." Keyda said softly with a brave smile as she pulled his head down for another long kiss that left them both short of breath and wanting more.  
  
"Your wish is my command." Trowa said picking her up and into his arms with a slightly dramatic air which made her laugh, all sadness put away for awhile. Wrapping her arms around his neck Keyda laughed again and holding tight placed butterfly kisses along his neck and chin. Growling low in his throat Trowa caught her head and busied her mouth kissing him back instead while he walked over to the other side of the room. Lying her down gently onto her bed Trowa smiled down at her before allowing her to pull him down on top of her.  
  
"This is definitely better then going to meetings."  
  
)  
  
"Ms. Po, there's a package that just arrived for you." An ensign said as he stopped in front of her holding a package carefully since it had been marked important. Smiling Sally thanked the soldier for delivering it and turned it over curiously.  
  
"I wonder who it's from? I'm not expecting anything and if it were something I'd ordered personally it would have been delivered to my home box." Sally said under her breath as she watched the soldier walk away, turning the box around in her hands.  
  
"What is it?" Wufei asked looking over at it with a touch of curiosity and caution. After all the way things were an unexpected package could hold trouble.  
  
"I don't now. Oh here's a note." Sally said slipping it out of the binding having just noticed it since her mind had wandered trying to guess what it was. "Oh it's from Kori."  
  
"Who the hell is that?" Wufei demanded not liking the affection in her voice.  
  
"A friend of mine. He's sent me some information on the Hunter Project." Sally said excitedly as she read the letter, smiling at the news delightedly.  
  
"Lady Une said the files were all destroyed and pretty much everyone involved is either dead or in hiding. What information could this guy possibly have." Wufei said with a roll of his eyes as he turned back to his work thinking it was a waste of time. Ignoring him Sally walked towards a nearby desk and placing the package on it undid the paper around it. Reaching in she pulled out an ordinary binder. Opening the binder Sally skimmed the first page and then with a sadness clearly visible on her face closed it. "What is it, Sally?" Wufei said placing a hand on his shoulder.

"There's so much pain in his words." Sally said gazing into Wufei's eyes with a deep sadness in their blue depths. "I can't believe something like this could have really happened, Wufei. In this time and age that we could still do things like this. To our brothers and sisters, our fellow man for Christ sakes." Sally finished with such a look of hopelessness that without even thinking Wufei drew her into his arms for a quick hug. Ignoring the people gaping at them Wufei held her while she regained her composure and then reached and held her hand when she drew back. Surprised by the show of comfort Sally squeezed his hand and smiled bravely at him. "We better call everyone together, I think that they all should hear this." 

) 

"So what is it he sent you, Sally?" Relena asked as she took a seat at the table twenty minutes later as everyone gathered to hear whatever it was that Sally had called the meeting about. She'd said it was urgent and that was good enough for them.  
  
"He sent me an essay that a student who goes to Akira Academy wrote for a history course two years ago that a colleague told him about when he expressed interest in information concerning the project. The paper is all about what happened concerning the Hunter Project and it gives a blow by blow of everything that happened. There's about fifteen pages of information starting with the testing leading up to the Project and all the way to the end results." Sally said having read the whole thing while she was waiting for everyone to arrive. Her eyes were red from crying and she felt emotional drained by what she'd been reading as well as unbelievably heartbroken by the tale and the feelings it gave off. "Whoever wrote this has or had first hand information and was emotionally involved." Sally added trying to keep her voice normal. "He's too young to have been involved in the project since he was a student but I think he had a connection to someone involved, it's the only logical explanation."  
  
"Where did this student get his information is the big question then." Quatre said with a thoughtful look on his face. And what side was the boy connected to.  
  
"I don't know, but well, this kid knows more about the Hunter Project then Lady Une does I'll bet." Sally said motioning towards the binder she'd set on the table. "It's almost like he was there step by step and saw everything that happened, he's that good a writer."  
  
"Will you read it, Sally?" Heero said looking at her with concern since she looked unusual pale and weary.  
  
"I'll read it out loud." Wufei said before she could answer. Picking the binder up Wufei pulled over the cover and began to read the words.  
  
)  
  
Thirty minutes later there was only silence in the conference room as they all sat slumped in their seats. Silent tears ran down Relena, Sally and Noin's faces as they leaned back in their chairs still reeling from the words, Relena and Noin both holding their husband's hands. The males in the room were equally stunned and as angry and were they not who they were they might have very well cried too. Fists clenched under the table Quatre felt an anger he hadn't felt since the death of his father and sister and it was only building by the moment. How could anyone have done such a thing?  
  
"We need to talk to this kid." Heero said huskily as he got out of his chair to stand behind his wife. Holding up her hand Relena grasped his tightly again as she struggled to regain control over her emotions.  
  
"I'll talk to Kori and find out how to get in touch with the boy." Sally said as she wiped her cheek.  
  
"The question is how did he get access to all this information. The most that he should have had access to was a few papers mentioning it and gossip." Lady Une said, the first time she'd spoken since Wufei had begun to read. Unlike the others she'd only been able to listen to the story the essay had told.  
  
"I think I can answer that." Duo said as he rubbed a hand over his eyes. The pain the boy had felt had leaped out of the words and it had really hit him hard. "I accessed the Academy's files while we were waiting for all yous to come in and I've accessed the boy's file. Keyda Yamachi's personal phone number is listed as an emergency number to call if something should happen to him."  
  
"Do you think the boy's one of the four that got away?" Noin said hopefully as she looked up with tears still brimming in her eyes which were only held back by sheer will.  
  
"According to his file he's an orphan except for an older sister, he's eighteen years old and lived on earth. He's involved in a lot of school stuff and if you hold on a minute I'll access the year books and well see what he looks like." Duo said as he clicked through the database with some difficulty, almost as if extra safety precautions had been put up in order to block access to the student's files. After a couple of minutes and some help from Heero they finally accessed a picture of their essay writer and staring at the image Duo couldn't hold the swear words that poured from his mouth.  
  
)  
  
"So you want to know where I got my information? Sorry but no can do." J.C. Angel said confidently as he stared at his inquisitors with a cocky smile on his lips. They'd been questioning him for over an hour now but they still didn't get it. They could perform any torture they wanted on him but he still wouldn't talk. Besides nothing they did could compare with what Oz had done to him.  
  
"And if we were to order you to tell us?" Heero said lifting an eyebrow at the boy's cool manner. The kid did definitely resemble Adam R Tenchi and he was protecting someone, but who? If he was the youngest Tenchi boy back from the dead then he might be able to lead them to his sister but Heero doubted it. Not to mention the fact that they couldn't hold the boy without a damn good reason which they didn't have.  
  
"I think we both know I won't be saying anything no matter what you threaten me with, Mr. Yuy." J.C. shot back looking Heero straight in the eye with a look of pure amusement. It was obvious J.C. knew that Heero wasn't use to people not doing as he told them and that he found it amusing to deny him now.  
  
"Would your refusal to talk have anything to do with your relation to Keyda Yamachi?" Lady Une asked as she looked at the boy who gazed back at her with no emotion. The boy had yet to show her any emotion what so ever which was at odds with the circumstances. Even if he hadn't been one of her victims his essay showed his hatred for her yet he showed none of it now.  
  
"Lets just say that it has more to do with your involvement then who I call friend and leave it at that shall we?" J.C. said quietly as he shot her a gaze not unlike Heero's death glare only with no emotion in it what so ever. They were dead eyes and more frightening then any death glare Heero had ever displayed.  
  
"So you're saying that you're keeping your mouth shut because I'm involved?" Lady Une asked as she tried to ignore the boy's stare.  
  
"I'm saying that you're a psychotic bitch who should have been tortured and executed for crimes against humanity and hundreds of counts of murder in the first degree. As to keeping my mouth shut well ask me how I feel about you and I can talk for hours on end." The boy said with a grin that was scary in it's empty blackness. "In fact talking about what I'd like to have happen to you is one of my favorite past times. Right up there with watching professional basketball."  
  
"Watch your mouth boy." Heero said with a calmness that none the less got his point across loud and clear.  
  
"The great soldier Heero Yuy reduced to her puppet, what a waste." J.C. said sadly, egging Heero on though he really didn't blame the perfect soldier. He had no doubt that Yuy would be the first to take Une out if the need came for it. J.C. could only hope he'd be around to see it when that happened. Or better yet have the pleasure of being the executioner himself. "Look I don't want to be here and if you haven't figured it out I'll state it loud and clear in small, easy to understand words. I won't tell you anything. If you're trying to restart the project you'll all end up dead by someone, possibly me. If you're just curious about where I got my information from then screw you, I'm not talking." Crossing his arms over his chest J.C. waited for them to comment. "And if you're digging around in the past don't...take my advice it only gets uglier the deeper you go."  
  
)  
  
"I give you my word that the Hunter Project will never rise again while I breath." Lady Une said as she watched the boy's face light up with a grin of pure amusement edge with a hint of hatred barely noticeable. Unless you were looking for it.  
  
"Lady, if the Hunter Project ever starts up again I'll make it my personal pleasure to see that you're first in line to be tested on." Instantly the room was silent as the boy's words sunk in. So much hate locked up in that young boy, Heero thought as he watched the boy smile back at them with malice barely hidden, the boy making no attempt to cover it. His eyes struggled to hide his emotions yet he betrays his emotions with his words. He won't tell us anything, he'll die first, Heero thought to himself. "I believe that according to your wife's government you're not allowed to hold me, I haven't done anything illegal and trust me on this, you don't want to mess with me. I make a really bad enemy to have. You already have others out for your blood, why add me to the equation?"  
  
"Heero?" Relena asked walking into the room with Sally close behind, unable to wait any longer to find out what was going on inside the office where the boys and Lady Une were having their chat with the boy.  
  
"He won't tell us anything." Heero stated looking at the boy with a hint of admiration. The kid was good and very loyal. Question was, who is he loyal to?  
  
"Ah the beautiful saviors of the colonies and earth, it's a pleasure to meet you two." J.C. said having stood up when the women entered the room. Bowing slightly at the waist it was as if he'd become a whole other person. In the place of the cold and hate filled boy was a handsome young man with a warm smile and charm to spare. Heero couldn't help but be surprised at the change in the boy's attitude. Gone was the surliness and masked hatred, instead he was all charm and genuine smiles for his wife and Sally.  
  
"The pleasure is ours, Mr. Angel. Your essay was absolutely amazing." Sally said holding out her hand to shake his. He was so young was all she could think even as he beamed at her with good will as he took her hand so carefully.  
  
"Please call me J.C., Miss Po." J.C. replied before bringing her hand to his lips in a dashing move that was seamless. "I have long admired your work during the war and it's a privilege to make your acquaintance. You are as beautiful as you are strong if you don't mind me saying so. The fierceness of the samurai mixed with their women's grace and beauty."  
  
" Thank you and it's Sally." Sally said blushing slightly as he let go of her hand. My but the boy had charm to spare, Sally thought as he winked rakishly at her. One certainly had to admire his way of charming you into forgetting what you were talking or there to talk about.  
  
"Then I will, Sally. Mrs.Yuy, it's a pleasure to meet you as well. I have to congratulate you on your success with the Mia Agricultural Project. I heard your speech and it was quite spellbinding." J.C. said bowing to her as well with a flair that would have put a Shakespearean actor to shame.  
  
"You're too kind." Relena said smiling at him with slightly pink cheeks as well. "I only wish you could be of more help to us."  
  
"Alas, my fair Queen but I'm afraid that helping you would only get you into more trouble then you're already in. What kind of a knight in shining armor would I be if I deliberately sent you into the dragon's lair?" J.C. said looking her straight in the eye with eyes that shone with sincerity and warning. "Perhaps this is one thing you should strongly consider leaving in the past before the dragon catches you and you get burned." 


	11. Knight with Shining Eyes

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the plot. Everything else belongs to someone else and I hope you read and review. Thanx! 

Knight with Shining Eyes

) 

The next day  
  
"You'd think if I had to develop a crush on a guy the least I could've done was fall for someone with some intelligence." Eve muttered as she watched the two assassins march Quatre, Noin and Relena into the clearing. Relena had been giving a big speech today and both Noin and Quatre had decided to come along for support. If they'd wanted to be of any help they should have stayed home so that the one on the right wouldn't have felt it necessary to point a gun into her head to keep the other two moving. The assassins were taking them to the caves obviously and it was just as obvious from the way their captors were dragging their feet that they'd guessed that too. And where the Hell was Darius? He was supposed to be watching Noin.  
  
"Move along you two or your precious princess gets it." One of them shouted with annoyance ringing in every syllable. "We don't have all day."  
  
Buddy this is going to be your last day on earth, Eve thought as she pulled out her silencer and fitted it onto the end of her gun. Taking aim she waited until there was a clear shot then fired two shots in rapid succession. Instantly the one holding the gun to Relena's head dropped to the floor dead as a doornail. Trained soldiers still Quatre and Noin had the other on the ground and unconscious seconds later. Eve watched as Quatre looked up at her as oppose to looking at the one she'd shot. How in God's name had he known exactly where to look? It was like they had a coming meter for each other, Eve thought with a frown.  
  
"Night, look out!" Quatre yelled just as she sensed the several darts that had been hurled her way in a pattern designed to make it impossible for all of them to miss no matter how she moved. Dodging all but one Eve felt the zing as one pierced her flesh and instinctively winced even though she felt no pain. Next came the sound of shots and then silence. Struggling to keep her eyes open as her eyes began to water and sting Eve saw a man standing over her with a dart gun in his hand. Holding up her gun she gave a slight gasp as she watched him weave before her then sink to the ground, blood flowing from the side of his head. Raising an eyebrow Eve grabbed one of the other darts from the ground and twisted off the top to see what was strong enough her powerful immune system couldn't kick it. Spilling the contents onto her hand Eve smelt the concoction, identified the substance and knew she was sunk. With a crash she fell to the ground with the world spinning around her.  
  
)  
  
"Night, are you alright?" Quatre said running onto the ridge she'd been standing on to find her flat on her back with her eyes tightly closed. 

"Hell no." Eve said from the ground as she threw away the empty dart that had landed beside her. "He managed to hit me with one of those things." Eve watched Quatre bend down before her and pick up the discarded dart. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Noin and Relena watching her from a slight distance, Noin with a gun ready if necessary.  
  
"What did they inject you with?" Quatre said softly throwing the dart away to come closer, completely disregarding the fact that she was a dangerous assassins who moments ago had killed someone right in front of him. Staring into his eyes Eve couldn't help smile before closing them again against the searing pain.  
  
"You know something, Blue Eyes. I doubt you've even heard of half the stuff they injected me with." Eve finally said with something close to a chuckle as she tried to sit up but that wasn't happening and she laid her head back down.  
  
Rather surprised by her grin Quatre felt himself grinning back. She was going to be okay then. Whatever they'd hit her with wasn't anything to worry about. Or at least from her attitude but then again she never made any sense to him. "You're okay then? Do you need a doctor or something?"

)   
  
"Well I'm going to be paralyzed from the waist down for a couple of minutes and I'm going to kill my partner when he gets here but other then that I'm just peachy. Now if they'd all hit me..well know that would be a different story. Unfortunately for me it appears that I owe you a debt, Mr. Winner." Eve said as she set her gun down beside her thigh so that she could use her hand to brace her body as she attempted to get up again. "Don't try to call it in."  
  
"You're the one that killed the man holding a gun to my head. Why did you save us?" Relena asked stepping forward with a determined look on her face. The girl half lying on the ground wasn't in any condition to do anything and didn't seem to mean them any harm for the time being at least. The girl had shades over her eyes but Relena was willing to bet she'd be very pretty if she wasn't wearing them. Judging from Quatre's obvious concern and actions, he thought so too which both pleased and worried her.  
  
"I seemed to be making it a habit of saving your ass, Minister." Eve said sarcastically as she began to get a bit nervous. Darius should have been here by now, where was he? If he was somewhere goofing off she was really gonna hurt him bad.  
  
"Are you sure you don't need to see a doctor?" Quatre said drawing her attention back to him sharply at the word doctor.  
  
"Wouldn't be of much use, my body's defenses would just annihilate whatever they gave me, Winner. Besides I really don't feel like ending up dead today either." Eve said, her hatred of doctors plain. She hated them right up there with Oz in fact. After all what were doctors but scientists testing on whatever they could to make money off the suffering of others? If people weren't sick they wouldn't make money after all. Sometimes she wondered if perhaps there weren't more cured out there that simply were available to the public because of the cutbacks in doctor's paychecks.  
  
"What should we do then?" Relena said wanting to help her savior, thief or not. It was the least she could do.  
  
Reading Relena's expression correctly Eve couldn't help but smile at her, catching everyone by surprise since it was a genuinely nice smile. "How did someone like you ever become the most important political force on earth and in the colonies? And no there's nothing you could do for me except leave me here so that my partner can come get me without having to worry about you guys being here."  
  
)  
  
"Wouldn't it make more sense for you to kill us now that we've seen your face?" Noin said stepping in front of Relena protectively. They'd all been thinking it, she might as well say it and get it over with.  
  
"Like I keep telling people if I want someone dead they end up dead before they can even scream. If I wanted any of you dead I'd have let those people get you. Besides, you warned me about the scientists and I owe you for that." Eve said gruffly, a bit peeved that they kept thinking she was some murdering maniac. Knowing someone's face wasn't a big deal either since a face was easy enough to change as it was.  
  
"Those men were scientists?" Quatre said with a slightly protective voice that had gone soft. The kind of voice I could listen to all day, Eve thought before she thought better of it. Quatre meanwhile was concerned and curious as to who the scientists were and what they had wanted before they'd been scared off or taken out.  
  
"Yup, they must have been tracking me and figured in the commotion I'd be distracted enough to not notice them till it was too late." Eve said trying to move her foot without much success. She could bend her toes but that was it. "I've killed enough of them that they've realized a head on assault is suicide plain and simple."  
  
"Why were the scientists after you?" Relena asked walking around Noin so that she was standing in front of Eve, blocking the sun since the girl kept looking away from it even with the shades. "Are they after revenge or something?"  
  
"They hunt me because they want to chop me up into little pieces and experiment on me so that they can learn from the Project's mistakes ands take up where they left off. There's quite a large bounty on my head right know for just samples of my blood. It's real hard to find good doctors these days." Eve said with a bitter smile. "After all every terrorist, every would be world dictator needs an army and what better army then Night Hunters where the experimentation has already been done and is a work in progress. Every year at least five groups make a shot at bagging us and end up in body bags if they're bodies are ever found. As you might have guessed we don't want to be lab rats again even if they have the decency to kill us first this time around, Minister."  
  
"But that's horrible." Relena said looking quite upset at the idea. Why had she not been made aware of any of this? Dumb question. She doubted only one percent of the population was even aware the hunters still existed and what they were capable of.  
  
Look at her Eve thought with a touch of regret of how she herself had use to be so naive. So full of optimism and moral righteousness. I use to be just like her and look at me know. We're like night and day. "You're right but if it will make you feel any better they very rarely look anymore and those who do have slim luck when it comes to finding us. These guys just got lucky..for a bit."

)   
  
"Noin? Where the Hell are you? Peacecraft's about ready to have my head on a platter." Came a voice that echoed off the rocks and grabbed their attentions  
  
"That's Darius's voice." Noin stated looking over the ridge to see him looking for her and making a big show out of it too.  
  
"You three go ahead, I'll be on my feet in a couple of minutes. I'm afraid that if you're still here when I can stand I probably will have to kill you." Eve said motioning with her head towards the way they'd come. Actually she wouldn't but they really didn't need to know that. After all she did have a reputation to uphold. She was one bad ass bitch and proud of it.  
  
"But what if more of the scientists are waiting for us to go so that they can get at you? I'm not leaving you here by yourself and that's final. Noin, take Relena and Darius, head back to the others. I'll stay here till she can walk then I'll follow you. Understand?" Quatre said, his voice broaching no argument.  
  
"Are you sure, Quatre?" Noin said ignoring Darius's calls.  
  
"I'm sure, Noin." Quatre said nodding firmly.  
  
"All right, Quatre." Relena said and turning around began walking back down the ridge and with a last searching look was followed by Noin. Soon the two were alone and Eve was not at all pleased with the change.  
  
)  
  
"You should have gone with them, Blue Eyes." Eve said when they were out of sight leaving her sorely tempted to call out to them to come take the idiot blonde off her hands. The last thing she needed right now was to have to worry about him and this weird connection they had. Plus if the scientists did come back Blue Eyes would be in the way which would be a serious problem not that he would think he was in the way. He'd think he was helping like most idiot guys who stuck their noses in where it wasn't needed. "I'd be very happy if you went with them." Eve added hoping that Quatre's manners would forbid him to deny her request.  
  
:Sorry but I'm not going anywhere until you can walk, Night. There's nothing you can say or do about it at the moment." Quatre said sitting down so that he faced her. "You're down for the count for the time being and I aim to stick around till you can properly kick my ass for not leaving with the others."  
  
"Why are you doing this, Quatre?" Eve said watching him closely since she knew she'd be able to read the honesty of his words better that way. Not that he was the type to lie overly but he was still a politician in a sense. She didn't understand this enigma that was Winner and she couldn't understand why that was. There had been no mention that he was such a pain in the asses in any of his profiles.  
  
"I'm staying because I have no intention of leaving you out here on your own when you can't protect yourself." Quatre said in a voice usually reserved for his nieces and nephews. Damn but she was exasperating sometimes.  
  
"I have my gun and my blades thank you. Now what do you say you go before I use you as a target. I never miss." Eve added just for an extra kick to her words. She would never hurt him but he didn't need to know that now did he?  
  
"If you wanted me dead you would have done it already." Quatre said shooting her words back at her with a sweet smile that was meant to reassure. Just then there was a rustle in a nearby bush and pushing her out of the sounds direction Quatre got in front of her and pulled his gun that he hadn't had a chance to use earlier. Normally he never carried but with everything that had happened he'd promised Heero that he would. Waiting for several seconds Quatre gave a sigh of relief when he saw a rabbit running away in the other direction. "I think it was just the rabbit. Sorry"  
  
"I'll go with that. Now would you mind helping me up please?" Eve said lying on the ground having lost her balance when Quatre had put himself in front of her. A part of her was flustered and pleased that he'd been all set to protect her while another, more sensible part called him various forms of the word idiot.  
  
"Sorry." Quatre said but instead of pulling her up onto her hands he got behind her and sitting down pulled her into his lap.  
  
)  
  
"What the Hell do you think you're doing!" Eve said though she had to admit his lap was a hell of a lot more comfortable then the ground.  
  
"This way you don't have to use your arms to hold yourself up." Quatre said not about to admit that he had also done it because he wanted to hold her, especially since she couldn't do too much damage at the moment though she was probably going to give him Holy Hell when this was all over. "Besides this is more comfortable then sitting on the ground isn't it?"  
  
"Then maybe I should shoot you and have you stuffed into my permanent bean bag chair then huh?" Eve said unconsciously snuggling closer despite her words as she relaxed against him. "Then you can be my permanent chair and I can punch you into the shape I want you."  
  
"But you love my eyes too much to kill me remember?" Quatre said teasingly, rather liking the way she was cuddling against him without even realizing it. It was nice to feel needed even if the person needing you would rather shoot herself in the head then admit it. So this is what Relena went through, Quatre thought with a smirk on his face.  
  
"I could always cut them out and then shoot you." Eve said with a touch of laughter in her voice since it was pretty obvious she wasn't serious about the whole chair thing. Besides how gross was that? In fact she was almost starting to enjoy her predicament as stupid as that was. There were worse places to be then outside on a beautiful day in the lap of one fine specimen of the male species though. Who smells really nice too, Eve thought with a small smile. He smelled like the outdoors actually.  
  
)  
  
"Something tells me my eyes are safe for now then. So mind telling me why we always meet after or before gun fire?" Quatre said with a teasing note to his voice as he tried to distract her from threatening his person or someone else's. "It's beginning to seem like a trend with us or is it just me?"  
  
"Maybe you should take it as a sign that I'm a danger to your health." Eve said saucily, not about to let herself be distracted so easily. After all when it came to her life there usually really was trouble waiting around every corner.  
  
"Or maybe the fates are trying to tell us something else entirely." Quatre said wrapping his arms around her waist, bring her closer.  
  
"Are you flirting with me. Winner?" Eve said turning her head slightly to get a better look at his face which gave away nothing that he didn't want her to see for the moment. So he could be a real politician when he wanted to be, Eve mushed to herself absently. Hiding behind kind eyes and a smile when Lord only knows what's going through his head.  
  
"And if I am?" Quatre said looking down at her with the same unreadable expression he used whenever his sisters were pumping him for information on his none existent love life. Well he was sorta getting one now but it was pretty messed up and would only worry them more. Come to think of it though it might make them stop encouraging him to find a girl..  
  
"Then I have to say that you've got the worst taste in women I have ever seen, Blue Eyes. I'm not good to eat at all and will give you plenty of cavities." Eve said with a smirk even as a small sigh of regret for the both of them escaped her lips. If only this were another time and place. When she still believed in love conquering all and prince charming, a white knight upon a golden steed.  
  
"From where I'm sitting I have great taste in women." Quatre said with a smile as he laid his chin on top of her head, liking the smell of her hair. It was sort of fruity and familiar but for the life of him he couldn't remember where he recalled it from. She hadn't been using this kind of shampoo the last few times they'd met. Pushing the thought aside Quatre continued his argument. "Or at least they are in the kissing department. Or should I say you are."

)   
  
Shaking her head because she couldn't think of anything else to say Eve simply allowed him to keep holding her and stared off the ridge at the view, praying that her legs would snap back real soon before she lost her head and stared believing the lines he was feeding her. Quatre allowed her to think about what he'd said and instead concentrated on the feel of her in his arms and the way she fit perfectly in them. "You can go now." Eve said finally after she decided that it was time she left.  
  
"Can you move?" Quatre said reasonably as he loosened his hold on her waist, willing to let her go if she could get up and move on her own. He didn't want to but he wasn't stupid enough to think she'd listen to him and stay put for a bit. Especially to stay put in his arms.  
  
"Yup." Eve said standing up and carefully moving away from him, concentrating on her walking so that she didn't weave or stumble. "Thanks again, I guess we're even now."  
  
"Do you have to go?" Quatre asked before he thought better of it. For a while there he'd been more happy and just plain alive then he had felt in a long time simply from being in her company. She was like a live wire, shocking everything around her to life and he was growing to love the feeling. She made him feel younger, more energized even after a long day that had made him feel older then time its self. Plus she was really improving his dreams though he'd imagine she'd belt him one if she ever had an idea of how he thought of her when he was fast asleep. He was still a young man after all even if he wasn't in Duo's league.  
  
"Are you asking me to stay?" Eve said cocking her head to one side. She was already beginning to feel a bit light headed but she didn't want to admit that she wasn't up to it either.  
  
"Yea, I'm asking you to stay. You don't have to talk or do anything. Just sit here and enjoy the view with me."  
  
"Well I.. I guess I.. .could....I'll stay until my legs are steadier." Eve said walking back over to sit beside him. "Just to enjoy the view though. No funny business."  
  
"Thanks." 

"You're welcome." 


	12. The Fates Will Prevails

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the plot and the original characters. Everything else belongs to some other lucky bastard who is not me. Anyway hope you enjoy and please review cause I love to hear from my readers. Thanks and Ciao. 

) 

The Fates Will Prevails 

When it was time to go and Eve could sense Darius's presence nearby she stood up, dusted herself off then hesitated a moment before offering him a hand up. His surprise at the gesture plain Quatre none the less took the hand without a hint of caution and Eve helped him up without yanking his arm which she was known to do to others who expected her to help them up. Looking at the ground for a moment then meeting his eyes when he didn't let go of her hand Eve tugged but he didn't let it go. "I need my hand back." Eve said with a you wanna do what I say look on her face. 

"Whatever for?" Quatre asked with something very close to mischief in his eyes. 

"To leave for one thing unless you want me to cut your hand off so that I have to take it with me." Eve said sweetly, her smile the same though there was a barely visibly edge to it. "Now let go, Quatre and I mean it." 

"But I like it where it is." Quatre returned, bringing her hand to his lips so that he could kiss the back of it. "I like your hand very much along with everything its attached to." 

"That had has been soaked in the blood of other formerly living human beings." Eve countered, her eyes hardening. "Not the sort of hand a pacifist politicians wants to hold, much less be seen holding." 

"And my hands are clean? You'd think with all the research you've done it would have sunk in that I was a soldier, a Gundam pilot who took the lives of people and have stood over more dead then I care to think about. Some by my own hands. More so I don't believe in judging people by what others think of them. I judge them by what I think and I think I'd like very much to continue to hold your hand." Quatre said and now there was a sharp edge to his voice, a look in his eye that was very much a man of war's, Eve thought as her breath quickened slightly. Sure she had read the reports but..to look at him, in all her time spent with him..well until now it hadn't been possible to look at Quatre and see the pilot behind the smile. Now she was. "I think I know more about you now and I'm learning more everyday. I'm still here." 

) 

"Ya...you are." Eve said, her eyes softening for a moment behind the shades she wore, her protection against him and herself. The eyes weren't called the windows to the soul for nothing. "And the more I learn about you the more I see someone I could admire and that's a very rare thing. But I can't afford to like you, Quatre. I can't afford to stay around you and let you hold my hand." 

"Why can't you?" Quatre asked softly, bringing her hand up again, this time to lay her hand against his cheek with his hand over it, trapping it there as he never took his eyes off her. Patiently waiting for her to answer. 

"Because if I let myself like you, let you get in then I risk not just getting hurt but hurting you as well. My heart..has been torn and blackened..and what's left is very small with the remaining pieces already taken by the people I've let in. There are only four people in this world and colonies that I give a damn about...and well three of them aren't even by choice. I don't have anything to give you except my mind and my body, the first is a place no one wants to go into anyway least of all me." Eve said with a twisted smirk, her eyes however revealing a world of hurt and pain. Her mind was full of darkness and shadows, a hell just for her. "Let go of my hand, Quatre. Let go and walk away." 

"If you didn't like me you wouldn't be here now." Quatre pointed out quietly, hurting for her and what she wasn't saying but that he knew without having to hear it. The suffering and the pain, the hell she lived in could be seen and heard easily to him, an empathic. "I'm an empath remember? People's feeling and emotions are constantly washing over me, especially the dark ones because they're the most powerful, crying to be heard at all times to gain more power. But even in the darkness there is light, I can feel yours. M heart has been ripped and torn at too but its big, it has to be with so many people in my life. But there's a hard chunk of it that belongs to no one. A piece of me I've been saving all these years, waiting for the right person to give it to. Maybe it was meant to be yours. Then you're heart would be big enough to have room for one more person." Quatre said as he let go of her hand and stepped forward, taking her face between his hands. "Nothing is impossible." Quatre added before lowering his head to kiss her gently, so softly as though she were made of glass and might break if he wasn't so very, very careful. Too overcome with emotion to pull away Eve simply stood there then to her amazement felt tears well up in her eyes, something that hadn't happened since she'd wept over the body of her sister Sarah. After that the tears had stopped and had never surfaced again until now. A few sliding down her cheek Eve hugged herself against him for a moment then breaking free took off running leaving Quatre behind as she ran like the devil himself was after her. She was the moth and he was the flame. Irresistible to her but likely to not just burn her but perhaps even burn her alive in his heat. 

) 

Later that day 

"Trowa, phone." Trowa looked up to Keyda smiling down at him as he lay in their bed eating away. He'd slept in that morning and was only now eating breakfast even though pretty soon it would be lunch. Now this was certainly the life or would be if Keyda was coming to join him instead of telling him that he had a phone call.  
  
"Who'd be calling me here?" Trowa said setting down his spoon into his cereal, hoping that whoever it was it wasn't bad news because right now he wanted to pretend there was no such thing as bad news. Not that that was going to happen any time soon knowing his luck.  
  
"It's Darius. He says he needs to talk to you and that it's important." Keyda said leaning down to nuzzle his neck affectionately, placing some kisses along his neck while he smiled at the caress. Trowa turned and placed a quick kiss on her cheek before with a sigh dragging himself out of bed. " Then I guess I better go see what he wants." Trowa said with regret as he stood up and setting his feet down on the plush carpet moved over to give her a quick hug then grabbing a quick kiss Trowa walked over to the phone and picked it up.  
  
"This had better be important, Darius." Trowa said with a grin as he watched Keyda help herself to some of the fruit in the middle of the table. He'd had plans for those strawberries too. "I was having breakfast in bed. Interrupting one of those is a crime punishable by death in my book friend or not." 

)  
  
"It is, Trowa. Trust me on this." Darius said seriously as he sat behind his desk, absently throwing an eraser from hand to hand while he talked. "Believe me Keyda made it quite clear as to what would happen to me if I called without a very good reason. She was unfortunately very graphic as to what she'd have Eve do to me. I'm still having nightmares in fact."  
  
"What is it, Darius?" Trowa said leaning up against the wall with a sigh, his mind moving a mile a minute. Please God just let everyone be okay, that was all he was asking. He knew that they'd called in JC but he certainly wasn't worried in that area. The boy could handle himself and besides he knew the kid was on his way home as they spoke without a scratch on him. If he weren't Eve would have gone on a bloody rampage that would have been all over the news and papers, Trowa thought with a slight smirk. No one did protective like Eve did.  
  
"Noin asked me to find you because they need you to come to the Preventers office, Trowa. It's so important that she wouldn't tell me what it's about." Darius said, his voice grim as he left the eraser in his right hand. "I did my best to charm information out of her but she wouldn't budge at all. Told me that it was classified and she couldn't tell me even if she wanted to which she didn't. I've been monitoring her calls and e-mail along with everyone else's but I don't have any solid leads. They're being very careful what they talk about now."  
  
"I'll be there tonight or early tomorrow morning depending on how things go here." Trowa said with a sigh of regret. So much for his vacation. The question was, was he leaving paradise for a relatively normal meeting or to doom. This sounded serious and to call him in, especially when he'd told the guys he was going on holidays meant something had to be seriously up. The question was had they figured out anything important or still chasing their tails in the dark? Trowa knew that it wouldn't be long before they started to make connections he didn't want them to make until this was all over. Unfortunately there wasn't any sure fire way to make sure that that happened..  
  
"I'll tell them I couldn't get a hold of you and you can come in tomorrow." Darius said sympathetically knowing exactly what Trowa was being forced to leave early. Keyda and Trowa never seemed to get much us time and Darius felt lower then dirt for interrupting their rare vacation time, especially when they both seriously needed it. Darius owed the two of them his life and he wished that there was a way to make it so that they could be together in the open instead of in the shadows. Unfortunately as long as Keyda's grandfather was alive that wasn't going to happen. .  
  
"Thanks, Dar. See you tomorrow and don't work too hard. Actually since it's you work hard, you might learn to like it." Trowa said as he tried to cheer Darius up slightly. He could tell the younger man was really sorry and Trowa didn't want him blaming himself for screwing up the vacation thing. If Darius had said he couldn't get a hold of him then one of the guys would have gone searching which would have been a problem. This was the definite choice of the two unfair choices.  
  
"Sorry, Trowa. Bye." Darius said before hanging up, smirking into the air for a moment before getting started on the paperwork he'd been supposed to be starting an hour ago. What could he say but that he was lazy and knew he could bribe Eve into doing them for him later. But since he had nothing better to do he might as well start it. Just to see the shock on Eve's face when she realized what's he'd done as opposed to reading his comic books or doodling.  
  
"What is it, Trowa?" Keyda said coming from behind to wrap her arms around his waist, cuddling against his back even though she had an idea from what she'd overheard on this end of the phone. 

Feeling her head pressed against his back Trowa smiled sadly. "I've been called in to Preventers, Darius doesn't know what it's about."  
  
"I'll come with you." Keyda said tightening her grip. "I'll stay at Eve's townhouse. If it's bad enough that they're calling you in then I should be close by just in case."  
  
"I'd rather be here with you."  
  
"Ditto."  
  
) 

Sitting at her desk Noin was busy typing up a report when she heard the sound of a knocking on her door. Calling out to whoever it was to enter Noin looked up to see her temporary assistant walk into the room with his usual happy grin. Come to think of it she'd ever seen him looking remotely serious. "What's up, Darius?" 

"I actually finished that report you wanted already and I wanted to tell you that I got a hold of Mr. Barton as requested but due to delays he won't be able to get here till tomorrow. He sends his regrets and will get here as quick as humanly possible." Darius said with a mock salute as he dropped the papers he'd brought with him on her desk. "Are you all right, Commander? You look a little pale." Darius said, his face changing into concern as he looked at her. She really was pale and looked more then a little exhausted. "If you want I could call down to Sally or you could head home early, I could catch you up on your paperwork or at least do what I'm allowed to do." 

"Thanks, Darius but I'll be fine. I just have a slight stomach virus or something." Noin said as she made a face at him ruefully. "I'm trying the tried and true cure known as ignoring it." 

"Which is a lousy cure." Darius said as he came around the desk to Noin's shock and before she could even comment he had his hand on her forehead. "Well you don't have a temperature though you're a bit warm. Open your mouth and stick out your tongue." 

"No." Noin said in a laugh, amused and touched by her aid's actions. "It's nothing really. Now go back to your desk and pretend to do paperwork before you get in trouble. If I feel like I need to lay down or need Sally I'll let you know. I promise." 

"Well if you say so." Darius said having no intention of leaving it at that. Walking out of the office Darius headed straight back to the phone and dialed Milliardo's extension. Getting the man's secretary Darius was put on hold until finally Milliardo's voice came over the phone to ask what he wanted. "Hello, General. I'm calling because your wife is ill and she won't do anything about it." 

"Noin is ill?" Milliardo said, his tone losing some of its chill. 

"I think so, sir. She doesn't have a temperature but she looks really pale to me and exhausted. I can't get her to take a break or go see Doctor Po so I thought perhaps you could convince her to do one or the other. She's been working really hard but she seems a lot more worn down then usual these last couple of days so I'm thinking maybe she's fighting the flu or exhaustion." 

"I'll take care of it..thanks for the call." Milliardo said, forcing himself to get the words out. He didn't like the way the kid was so chummy around Noin but the kid had risked Noin's wrath calling him and he owed the boy for that. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all. 

"No problem, General. Just doing my job." Darius said with a smile and after exchanging good byes Darius hung up and looking at his pile of paperwork grimaced then started on depleting the pile. 

) 

Meanwhile at her desk Eve was busy working away when the phone rang. Picking it up Eve relayed the same information she'd been relaying for the last few days to the party coordinator who seemed determined to drive Eve insane. Now that there were only a few hours left before the bash the woman was going nuts questioning every single decision she'd made from when to serve the main course to what music should be played. After smoothing out the feats Eve sent up an I hate you to the big guy upstairs before turning back to her computer only to hear someone clearing their throat. Rising her head Eve bit back a groan when her eyes landed on Quatre's face. Of all the dirt luck. Why couldn't it be the reincarnation of Jack the Ripper or a terrorist. She could deal with them no problem. "Can I help you, Mr. Winner?" 

Puzzled for a moment Quatre tilted his head to the side questioning. There was something about the way she'd looked at him there for a moment that reminded him of someone but he couldn't quite place it. He was great with faces though so he was sure that it would come to him. "I'm just waiting for Relena to get done with her meeting so that we can go over a few things. Are you looking forward to the party tonight?" 

"Actually I'm not going, prior plans that I couldn't break." Eve said with what she hoped would pass for regret. Actually she was going to spend her night watching over the people attending the party only undercover which was bound to be boring unless something went wrong. She'd prefer that it simply remain boring. If everything went well Darius would take over the watch after her and then she cold go home for a soak in the tub and some well deserved calorie filled pizza. She didn't think that was too much to ask. "But I'm sure you'll have a lovely time, Mr. Winner." 

"As the room will be full of stuff shirted politicians and fortune hunters I highly doubt that but at least the food is supposed to be good according to Relena." Quatre said with a boyish grin then fading slightly as he looked at Eve. She was always so emotionless, Quatre thought, the fact both intriguing and worrying him. He never got any strong emotional waves from her and if he didn't know better he'd think she were a machine. Or she was simply one of those people who could hold their emotions in check like Trowa. He rarely got any sense of Trowa's feelings either, Quatre thought with a sigh. "Well I'm sorry you can't come. Date?" Quatre asked then seeing the look on her face, a combination of shock and something he couldn't pinpoint Quatre hurried to make amends. "I didn't mean to..I apologize. I shouldn't have asked something that personal." 

"No...it's alright and no..I don't have a date. I'm..I'm babysitting for a friend." Eve said with a weak smile, hoping that he'd just go. Ever second near him was turning into torture and she was going to lose her mind shortly if he kept looking at her with those eyes of his. They were damn close to hypnotic. 

"Really? Well I hope the kid or kids are good for you. Depending on their ages they can be quite a handful." Quatre said with a grin then seeing people filing out of Relena's office turned back to smile at Eve. 'Well that's my cue. Have a good evening." 

"You too." Eve said and watching him go had the strangest feeling that babysitting him and his friends was not going to result in her having a good evening at all. Damn but she needed a vacation.


	13. Moonlight Fever

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the plot and the original characters. Hope you enjoy reading and that you review cause I love to hear from you. Ciao for now lol. 

Note I'm sorry that these chaps take so long to post but since no one seems to be reading this fic overly I tend to concentrate on the fics I have with a fair amount of readers waiting. 

Moonlight Fever 

The party was in full swing with the majority of the guests having a good time though it was enough of a political gathering to be a bit stiff and formal for some tastes. It was a masquerade dance so there was a lot of interesting costumes to look at and Noin had fun trying to match the costume with the person it disguised. Watching the dancers with a sigh in her costume Noin wondered if Relena would mind terribly if she were to head out sooner rather then later since Noin didn't think it was hunger pains she was feeling. Maybe Darius was right and she did need to dose herself with medication and get herself to bed for some serious shut eye. But she wasn't tired at the moment, just feeling worn and a tad queasy, likely from all the finger food she'd eaten to hold her till supper. Hearing someone come up behind her Noin turned her head to see her husband come up behind her in his prince costume Relena had gotten for him. "So you got away from Senator Willer I see." 

"I swear that man was absent the day God handed out common sense." Milliardo said with a dark look then seeing that she looked pale again broke one of his usual rules about shows of affection in public and gently pulled her against him, wrapping an arm around her waist to keep her there. "You're feeling sick again aren't you? I told you that you should stay home tonight, Noin." 

"I was fine before, I just feel a little queasy now but I do think I'll head home after dinner." Noin said with a content smile, surprised and pleased by his show of concern not to mention the fact that he was actually letting other people see him being affectionate towards her in public. "I'll miss your speech but I'm sure it will be great." 

"I'll have Heero give it and go home with you." Milliardo said with a shake of his head having made the decision that the only way she was going to get better was if he made sure she took the necessary steps to get better and back on her feet. "Relena will make him do it." 

"That's mean and unnecessary." Noin said in surprise as she turned to look at her husband in shock. 

"It's mean and entirely necessary." Milliardo countered in a tone that bore no argument. "Now lets find you a seat and I'll get you some ginger ale." 

) 

Quatre was so bored out of his mind he thought it amazing that his brain hadn't just melted in self defense and come leaking out of his ears. He'd been there for three hours and he was about ready to run into the kitchens and throw himself into one of the stoves currently out of use now that supper was over. It wasn't the lying politicians trying to pass bills that benefited them more then the people, it wasn't even the fact that so many of them thought he was stupid enough not to know a line when he heard one. What it was, was all the blasted politician's wives with marriageable daughters who were flocking around him every time he got away from the last grasping mother. He damn well knew that they had daughters and had been seeing at them at parties and get-togethers for years so why the hell did they keep having to remind him? Of course it was even worse when they dragged their daughters along with them, then it was just plain hell. Usually if the daughter let herself be dragged she was either too shy or just plain desperate, neither of which made the embarrassing situation any better. What he'd like to do is wear a sign saying not interested but he had a feeling all he'd get would be weird looks and mothers coming anyway since even if he was nuts he was still rich. She would never let herself be auctioned like a mare at a rodeo though, Quatre thought as his thoughts drifted towards a girl with hair pale as moonlight and eyes that glowed like a cat's at night. No she would likely stay in the shadows and sneer at everyone and their foolishness. Grinning at the image Quatre sighed then turned back to the discussion going on around him. The useless chatter going on for several more minutes when Senator Kass joined the group looking a tad pale with Senator Jutzi at his side looking like he was about to roll around on the ground laughing at any moment. 

) 

"Something wrong, Charles? You're looking a tad pale?" Senator Commerce said with a raised eyebrow as he tilted his head to the side curiously. "Something that Marcus obviously finds funny." 

"Oh you should have been there. Now there's a girl with some spirit in her. If I weren't happily married to my Mary then damn if I wouldn't try bagging that filly. " Senator Marcus Jutzi said with a chuckle as he slapped his knee. "This young whipper snapper got himself shot down good. Didn't you boy." 

"A simple no would have been the proper response." Was Senator Charles Kass tight and very British response. "I can't image who invited her." 

"Well I would imagine a pretty girl like that could get just about any man here to invite her if she set her mind to it." Was Marcus's quick response before he explained. "There's a rather stunning young lady over by the punch table dressed as the night I would think and when poor Charles tried to ask her to dance she made several rather interesting observations about young Charles's politics and said she'd rather hold her head in the punch bowl till she drowned then be seen talking with him much less dancing." 

"Sounds like quite a lady." Quatre said with a smirk thinking it sounded like something Noin would do or Hilde. Or Night for that matter though she'd be likely to follow it up with a knife to her victim's gut or some such threat. Wait a minute..the woman was dressed as it be?... "Excuse me gentlemen but now my curiosity is caught. If you'll excuse me." Quatre said as he untangled himself from the group and weaved his way through the crowd towards the punch bowl, vaguely hearing bets being laid from behind him as to whether he'd succeed or not. Managing to make his way after a great deal of effort put into the task Quatre caught sight of the mysterious woman and knew instantly that it was her. Her costume was a simple black strapless dress that ended at her knees with a black, see through layer of material over the dress which lad golden stars on it. Her face was hidden by a black mask that featured a quarter moon on the left side. But he knew it was her and so he walked right up to her and gave a bow with a great deal of flourish before grinning at her. "I think you bruised Senator Krass's ego." 

"It's so large a little deflation will keep his head from exploding." Was her response, her voice giving away nothing even though she was surprised that he knew it was her. And she knew that he knew. "But I doubt you came all the way over here to scold me." 

"Not at all. Had you agreed to dance with him and I'd seen you I'd have had to cut in and that would have created quite a stir. More then either of us would want." Quatre said with a boyish grin that went well with his costume. The head of the Winner family empire and a leading man in the political circles had come dressed as Peter Pan, the boy who'd decided never to grow up and spent his days playing games and fighting pirates. Quatre would have gladly become a Lost Boy any day. 

"And why would you have cut in? He doesn't strike me as the type to have the balls to sneak a feel." Was her response, a hint of a grin on her unpainted lips. 

"Because I wouldn't like the sight of any man with his hands on you of course." Quatre said with a candied grin, pleased when he watched her mouth open and close as though she had something to say but couldn't quite get it out. "That surprises you?" 

"Nothing you do surprises me anymore. You stopped making sense a long time ago." Was her final response though there was some weariness in her voice, as though she suspected he was up to something which of course he was. "So tell me, Pan. What can I do for you?" 

"Maybe I'm just looking for the second star on the right." Quatre said with as close to a rakish grin as he could ever pull off as he stared pointedly at the stars on her dress, particularly around her bust. "I think I need a closer look to find it though since you've shrunk them." 

) 

Eve could only stare at him then broke out in delighted laughter, her arms coming around her waist as she nearly doubled over with it. Pleased Quatre grinned and waited till she had gotten a hold of herself before he posed his question. "So will you come flying with me across the dance floor, Ms. Night?" 

"Well since you asked so nicely." Came her amused grin and taking the hand he offered Eve blinked when he stopped in his tracks. "Something wrong, Pan? Captain Hook perhaps?" 

"Hold on a minute. I'll be right back." Quatre said with a grin before disappearing into the crowd, Eve just managing to keep her eyes on him enough to see him make his way to the band playing and have a chat with one of the men resting his lungs for a moment. Raising her eyebrow Eve watched them chat then shake hands before Quatre made his way back to her with a pleased look on his face that had her watching him wearily. "The next song's ours." Quatre told her with a grin as the music from the last song died off and to her shock a Latin beat began to play as the music began to speed up and several of the older people attending looked around in shock. "Up to it?" Quatre asked as he took her hand to pull her against him with a gleam in his eyes. 

"You have no idea." Eve said with a grin as she automatically shifted her body to fit against his, moving with him without a pause as they moved to the hot beat along with some of the other, younger people at the party including Duo and Relena who thought it was a great idea and wondering who had pulled it off that the band would risk the wrath of the older matrons. Someone big must have asked for the change in music and gave out one hell of a tip. Well aware of this Eve lost herself in the music, surprised to see that Quatre could keep up with her and that he could do more then a demure waltz across the room. She should have known. Cuddling even closer as the song slowly began to die Eve sighed into his ear as his arms moved to hold her closer. "Looking for the route to your Neverland, Pan?" 

"Oh I think I found it." 

"Too bad I'm not Wendy then." Eve said as she pulled away and out of manners Quatre let her go. "Later, Pan." Eve added as she moved to slip away and Quatre would have stopped her but just as he opened his mouth to call her back his path was blocked by a senator who wanted to talk to him about yet another stupid bill. Damn it. 

) 

Half an hour later Quatre wandered outside and onto the gardens in a last effort to get away from people and possibly find one in particular. He'd looked all over the ballroom for Night but he couldn't find her anywhere and all he'd found were people he didn't want to see much less talk to. Sighing Quatre froze as he felt the tip of the gun dig into the back of his head with a sickening feeling of dread. Damn, he thought as he struggled to come up with a n escape plan, cursing the fact that he hadn't been paying enough attention. Damn but the woman was really more trouble then she was worth.  
  
"Hello, Mr. Winner. Lovely night for a stroll." The man said from behind him with a short and dead sounding laugh that had Quatre wincing. Nothing worse then facing up against someone who didn't care overly whether he lived or not. "I hope you understand it's nothing personal but I'm afraid the party is over for you.."  
  
"Yea right." Quatre said slowly as he scanned the area for something, anything that he could use to his advantage. Like a nice statue or a forgotten rake but there was nothing on hand, damn it. He'd have to distract the man till something clicked. "You do realize that if you kill me you'll be sealing your own death warrant, sir. My friends and family will hunt you down to the ends of the earth and the colonies for this. And if you know who I am then you know just how much power those close to me will have at their disposal."  
  
"Bang." 

Quatre froze as he heard the sound of a gun going off but the bullet he expected to enter his head never did. Strangely he didn't feel the bullet shoot into his head, in fact all he felt was the muzzle being pulled away from his head in slow motion like in the movies. Spinning around Quatre watched his would be killer sink to the ground with a thud, blood pouring out from the middle of his forehead, his head being the receiver of a bullet to the head instead. Standing behind the now dead man Quatre slowly looked up to stare at a familiar figure bathed in light from the house that stood glowing behind her. Her back was facing the balcony so she looked almost illuminated giving her an almost unnatural look. Or more appropriately an unworldly look. "Night." Quatre breathed.  
  
"Next time stay inside where you belong, Blue Eyes." Eve said as she gave him a mocking salute before turning her back to walk away into the shadows. Otherwise she'd go over and either strangle the guy for being stupid or throw her arms around him in relief that he was safe.  
  
"Hold it right there, lady. I've got something to say to you and you're going to stay here until I say it." Quatre said moving with enough speed to grab her arm before she could successful disappear as she always seemed to be doing on him. Pulling her arm with a great deal of force Quatre sent her spinning into his arms then used his other arm to lock her into a tight hold that held her against him like a band of steel. "Understand, Green Eyes?"  
  
"Oh I understand that I should've let the moron kill you." Eve said with her eyes flashing, surprised that he could move so fast and that she hadn't seen this coming. "And my eyes aren't green any more so ha. That's what I understand." Eve said too shocked and mad to think about struggling at the moment. Who the Hell did he think he was anyway grabbing her like this? How dare he? Oh she was so going to kick his ass for this. It would not be so fine once she was through with it that was for damn sure. She'd been nice to him earlier and this was her thanks? She knew she should have told him where he could stick that dance request.  
  
)  
  
"Do you know what my problem is with you, Night?" Quatre said with more then a trace of anger as he tightened his hold on her, making it clear he expected her to listen to him. He'd been thinking about this moment since the night on the roof and there was no way in Hell he was going to be rushed now that he had her in his arms alone with nothing to distract them. No one rushing in and no one trying to kill either of them for the moment. She'd reduced him to this and she was going to know it if it killed him damn it. He was a gentleman, considered by most to be a man of integrity, kindness and high moral standards that were more then a little outdated. But now this sassy female had to go and turn him into a raving maniac bent on having her, being with her and reducing him to not even caring about the consequences of taking what he wanted for once. She'd done this to him and she was damn well going to at least listen to him.  
  
"Well so much for being the King of Pacifism." Eve muttered as she tried to move but only caused him to tighten his crushing hold on her that was both a little alarming and at the same time exciting. Obviously she'd pushed him too far so what was Quatre Winner like when he lost control? "So, Quatre, what's your big problem with me besides the fact that I can't stand you?" Eve asked as she deliberately threw gasoline on the fire.  
  
"My problem, Night is that you're driving me insane, possibly just for your own amusement. No matter what I do I can't get you out of my mind and I don't even know if your real name is Eve Tenchi or something else entirely. I don't know what your favorite color is or your favorite food but I know that I want you, that whenever you're with me I forget everything and everyone but you. If it were just for sex I could deal with that, I could pass it off as lust and ignore you because I don't sleep with everyone I'm attracted to. But it's a hell of a lot more then that and I have never, ever felt this way about anyone in my life. I can't stop thinking about you, dreaming about you so that it hurts not to be near you. You're like a god damn drug that I've become addicted to and can't live without having another hit of. I've spent all my time since I met you either wanting to grab you and shake some sense into you pretty little head or...or."  
  
"Or what, Quatre?" Eve said softly staring up into his eyes with the beginnings of unshed tears in her eyes though they didn't fall. No one had ever talked to her like this before and for the life of her she didn't know whether to punch him or kiss him.. Probably the latter.  
  
"Or kiss the daylights out of you, throw you over my shoulder and head for the nearest secluded area of which there are bound to be many in this place." Quatre said fiercely and groaned deep in his throat before lowering his head and proceeding to kiss the daylights out of her. To both their surprises, she let him do it too. Both too overcome with emotion they forgot their duties, opinions and normal moral behavior to passion and need for the other as Eve kissed him back just as hungrily, her arms coming up to wrap around his neck. Instead they were two people who had found someone they couldn't forget or leave behind. Someone who called to them with the haunting Siren's Call.  
  
)  
  
"Quatre, Quatre. You have no idea what you're getting yourself into. I strongly suggest you run while I still have the control to let you." Eve said finally, holding his head inches away from hers as they both struggled to get air into their burning lungs. Leaning over she rubbed her cheek against his and then laid her head on his wildly beating heart in defeat when he simply tightened his hold, letting her know she wasn't going anywhere. For some reason that comforted her and at the same time told her that she was in way over her head.  
  
"Well it's either this or turn you in for breaking and entering." Quatre said with a rakish grin before tilting her head up to look at him. "I'm not going anywhere unless you're with me. Got it?" Quatre stated before pulling her head back to his to plant another steamy kiss on her lips. Muttering an agreement Eve locked her arms around his waist and allowed herself to once again be the girl she'd been before the war. A girl of life with a happy go lucky nature and a mischievous attitude that had made her loved by thousands. Returning his kisses with mind blowing ones of her own the two clung to each other, forgotten in their own world consisting of two hearts beating as one.


	14. Who Is The Enemy?

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the plot and the original characters. Thanks for reading and have a great day. 

Who Is The Enemy?

"Where's Quatre today?" Relena asked as she tapped her fingers on her desk with a worried look on her face. "He's twenty minutes late for our meeting and it's not like him at all. I mean he would have called ahead if he were running late and one of the servants would have given him the heads up if he'd slept in."

"I don't know. He left the party early and he didn't mention anything important happening today so I can't imagine he got held up somewhere..and you're right, he would have called if he got stuck in traffic or something." Heero said getting more then a little worried himself. Quatre was usually so punctual and this was the first time he could ever remember Quatre being late for anything without a heads up.

"Did he say anything to any of you guys about possibly being late? Did he seem distracted or worried about something last night?" Relena asked looking down the table and was greeted by No's and shaken heads.

"I just called his house and according to the maid he never came home last night." Sally said as she walked into the room with a worried look on her face as she took her seat, everyone feeling the same way. The maid had sounded really worried too on the phone and it wasn't like Quatre to go off anywhere without telling some one first. "Maybe he had to stay at a hotel for some reason and slept in or lost his cell phone?" 

"What time did he leave the party, Heero?" Noin said with a worried frown, wishing now that she'd stayed at the party. It sounded like Quatre might have gotten in trouble and there was certainly no limit to the amount of possible problems.

"I don't know. I last saw him around nine-twenty but then I last track of him in the crowds and then I had to give that speech after dinner so... When I asked around after that no one had seen him and so I just assumed he'd left early." Heero said with an angry glare at the door as if it was all its fault that Quatre wasn't in the room. Where the Hell was he?

"Does anyone remember seeing Quatre after that?" Relena said as she struggled to remember the last time she'd seen their friend.

)

"Mrs. Yuy. We've just been informed that Mr. Winner is on his way up and is perfectly fine according to the secretary who phoned in." Darius announce after opening the meeting room door, sticking his head through the opening, smiling at the look of relief that took over everyone's faces before closing the door behind him since he hadn't been invited to this particular meeting.

"Thanks, Darius." Noin said smiling at him with relief as the door closed behind her assistant. Everyone relaxed now, they all leaned back in their chairs and five minutes later were rewarded with a sheepish Quatre walking through the door.

"Sorry I'm late everybody. I lost track of time and didn't realize how late it was." Quatre said as he sheepishly grinned at them with a sorry look in his eyes. "I didn't have my cell phone on me either until I got home and by then I was in such a rush to get changed and here I kinda forgot to grab a cell phone so that I could call you while I was in the car."

"That's okay, Quatre but where have you been? We called the house but the maid said you hadn't been home all night." Relena said raising an eyebrow in his direction, obviously curious. "Did you fall asleep in your car or at the McLasters?"

"Yea, ah well..I.. it's a really long story, not all that interesting." Quatre said, doing his best to keep his grin at a little grin instead of the full blown one he'd woken with that had had his staff looking at him funny the whole time he'd been in his house getting ready for work and trying to eat something while he was at it.

"But I thought you left the party at around nine, Quatre." Heero said looking closely at his friend now that his instincts were kicking in to full throttle. Something was different about Quatre today but he couldn't put his finger on it just yet. "That's really not that late."

"I did but I went to visit an old friend afterwards and we stayed up late getting reacquainted since it had been a while." Quatre said struggling to hide a grin that threatened to surface as mental images surfaced with his words. Duo was on his back about girls enough as it was without him getting suspicious about who his friend from last night was.

"Well it's always nice to see old friends, did you have a nice time? " Relena said smiling at the happiness on Quatre's face. Obviously Quatre had had fun with his friends because she'd never seen him this revved up without at least one pot of coffee in his system along with a lot of sugary donuts.

"I had a great time, Relena now enough about me, lets get cracking shall we" What's this meeting about Duo and where's Trowa? I thought he was getting in today? Was his flight delayed or something?"

"I didn't tell him about the meeting. I wanted to talk to you guys first without him." Duo said gravely as he tried to think of how to put this. He'd been trying to figure out how to tell everyone since he'd heard the conversation that had been recorded.

"Why wouldn't you want Trowa in on this, Duo." Heero asked not liking the look on Duo's face. It was far too serious for the guy. "What's up?"

)

"Well I'll explain that in a minute. First there's something you need to see. Last night I sent one of my best men to tail Relena because I thought that maybe Eve would show like she did at the park since one of our theories was that she's been tailing Relena. She did and my man ran into her..literally." Duo said with a sigh as he shook his head recalling exactly how his man had looked after he'd met with the hell cat.

"Did your man get her?" Milliardo said not really hopeful on this. "He didn't huh?" Milliardo commented, reading Duo's face easily enough.

"He met up with her but no, he didn't catch her by any stretch of the word. He's currently in the Med Wing being put back together again." Duo said with an angry look, his hands fisting at his sides and wishing it was the bitch's neck. Partly he was angry at himself though for sending the soldier out but his majority of his thoughts were concentrated on Eve who would be paying real soon.

"How badly is he hurt? Are you sure it was Eve who did this? Perhaps it was the people who attacked us at the park, there could have been more of them." Quatre said with concern, as he absently chewed on the bottom of his lip. He and Eve had been together for a large portion of last night after all. Maybe she hadn't done it, Quatre thought grasping that ray of hope with both hands. The thought that she'd done this..didn't sit well.

"Let's just say he resembles a squashed bug right about now and his face is so swollen and bashed I couldn't even recognize him. Anyway the main thing is that the glasses he was wearing were out fitted with small cameras and so we could see her in action and also hear who she's working with." Duo said with a shake of his head, squashing Quatre's hopes. "It's her, no question."

"Well let's see this tape then ." Noin said as she leaned forward in her seat. Finally a break through though she wished a soldier hadn't had to get his ass kicked to get it.

"The glasses were knocked off his face during their fight but the audio still picked up what you'll need to hear." Duo said as he slipped the tape he'd watched over and over again since he'd got it. He wasn't looking forward to watching it again.

)

Everyone watched as they saw Duo's soldier following Relena and as Duo said Eve finally came into the picture though they were only brief glimpses since she was more then good at what she was doing. Keeping track of her movements was dizzying and Heero was pretty impressed thinking she'd be near impossible to follow anywhere unless she wanted you to. They all struggled with watching her weave in and out of view and then one at a time they noticed that there was another man following Relena. One who wasn't nearly as skilled as Eve at keeping out of sight. Or perhaps he just didn't feel he needed to make the effort.

"We haven't been able to identify him yet but I've got some drones doing some scans to try and find out." Duo stated before anyone asked as he watched them comprehend that Relena had had more then one person to worry about last night. Turning back to the screen they watched the unidentified man follow Relena with Eve coming into sight every so often, being less careful to hide herself suggesting that it was deliberate. Then she disappeared completely from sight and it was only the one man following cautiously behind Relena. Then a few minutes later they watched a slender and pale hand reach out and pull the unidentified man into an alley. Seconds later Eve walked out of it. The other man did not. Pretty much everyone wasn't surprised when Duo's soldier went into the alley and they saw the unidentified man lying in a pile of discarded trash, his neck obviously broken, his eyes staring up at them blindly. "We sent soldiers to retrieve the body this morning but it was already gone, no mention of any one else retrieving him so odds are people he worked with came and scooped him up before we could." Duo added quietly.

"Well at least we know he wasn't working for Eve or her employers. Odds are then that either he works for the same people that attacked Relena and the rest in the park or he double crossed our girl and pissed her off enough that she took him out. Permanently." Milliardo said thoughtfully as he tapped a finger again his cheek. The man was fairly large and muscular, she must be very strong to have been able to snap his neck like that. And cool headed.

After leaving the alleyway their soldier continued on but there was no sign of Eve. When Relena successfully arrived at her destination the soldier turned back and headed for the side door so that he could monitor from the inside. Muttering under his breath he was suddenly kicked from behind. Landing with a thud that jarred the camera he quickly turned around to see Eve standing behind him, her eyes glowing hauntingly in the darkness.

The following is from the tape they're viewing

"I would have expected better from one of their top operatives." Eve said with a saucy smile as she stared at the soldier threatening. It was too dark for him to make out her appearance well but her eyes would give her identity away. She'd warned Heero what would happen if he sent soldiers, he obviously needed to be reminded. "But I guess that was just too much to ask."

"Freeze." The soldier said reaching for his gun only to find it missing.

"Looking for this? I removed it quite a while ago, I hope you don't mind but I was worried you might accidentally shoot someone with it." Eve said dangling his gun before him mockingly before throwing it into a dumpster. "If you haven't already guessed I've been aware of your presence the entire time you've been following Relena. I simple saw no reason to let you know it till you'd seen the other man shadowing your precious princess. What I'm capable of doing."

"Any drug dealer on these streets is capable of killing a man for his pocket change. you'll forgive me if I don't quiver with fear over one dead body." The soldier said bravely as he stood up hoping his larger size would intimidate her. It didn't.

"Oh I don't think so. You know I made it quite clear I wouldn't stand for their interference but obviously you boys were too thick headed to get it. I think I'll use you as a reminder to them that underestimating me is always a big mistake. Sending you was an even bigger one. But if you ask really nicely I'll kill you before I start to work on you." Eve said with a smile he couldn't see. Of course she wouldn't but he didn't need to know that.

"You wouldn't dare." The soldier said glaring at her. Damn if he'd give her the satisfaction of knowing that she scared the hell out of him.

"Your choice." Eve said and with that shot her left leg forward, shooting it up with deadly accuracy into his face. Head snapping back from the blow he fell to the ground, the glasses flying off to land nearby facing a brick wall.

Back to meeting room

Duo froze the image and turned back to his viewers. "After this we have only sound and a nice view of a brick wall." 

"How badly was the soldier hurt, Duo." Relena said looking at the frozen image before her. To think that Eve had been following her and was capable of this was chilling.

"He'll be fine, Relena. Despite what she threatened to do she only broke a couple of bones and rearranged his face a little." Duo said comfortingly, coming over to pat her on the shoulder. "My guess would be she just wanted to scare the hell out of him and get her point across."

"Let's watch the rest." Milliardo said leaning back in his chair. Nodding Duo picked up the controls and unfroze the tape. Though they could see only a wall they could hear everything and what they heard shocked the hell out of them.

Back to tape

After several minutes of roughing the soldier up Eve spoke again. "Well if that doesn't get my point across nothing will. Well besides crucifying you to the ground and letting you bleed to death that is."

"He's still alive?"

Meeting room.

"That's....that's Trowa's voice!" Quatre said as shock drained what color was left in his face. He'd know the sound of his best friend's voice anywhere.

Tape

"Where did you come from?" Eve asked.

"I heard the racket coming from back here and figured I'd make sure you were all right if you were a part of the noise. Why did you leave him alive? That's not your style as I recall." Trowa said with his curiosity plain. "Because he's young or are you getting soft on me?"

"He's one of Maxwell's soldiers. You said I was suppose to leave those guys alone if possible." Eve said with an annoyed tone, not liking the word soft and her in the same sentence. Being soft got you hurt or worse. "If you want me to kill him I will though. He was rather annoying, the way he was whimpering like a girl towards the end. They really don't make soldiers like they use to."

"How easy was he to take out? Knowing my luck that was one of their best." Trowa said with a sigh as he tipped the soldier onto his back, leaning down to position the guy's head so that if he started to cough up blood he wouldn't choke on it.

"Well I'll give him points for keeping up with me and having the guts to look me in the eye. Other then that there's nothing positive to say about him really. Then again he's that braided baka's stooge so I'm not really surprised. You Preventers really need to take lessons on the arts of following people not to mention kicking ass. I mean every Preventer soldier I've met up against other then you has been pretty sad and provided little entertainment. If war broke out now the government would once again get their asses thoroughly kicked."

"Well I'll be sure to pass that along to my superiors." Trowa said with a hint of amusement in his voice as he shook his head at Eve, not at all surprised by her anymore. "Everything going all right here? Any idea why I was called away from my nice, warm bed to come back here? On my first vacation this year."

"Well several of your friends are borderline on my I'm going to kill them when this is over list but other then that everything's fine. I don't know why you were called in though, we've been busting our asses trying to find out but so far we haven't gotten anything. Maybe they've realized what a joke their security is and decided to call in someone who would actually know what he was doing."

) 

"Some how I doubt that's it, Eve. Are you done for the night? I saw Peters follow Relena in so she's covered. I haven't eaten anything but plane food today so I could use a bite, I'll buy.."

"Love to but unfortunately I have to head over to that stupid masquerade ball the McLasters' are holding in an hour. Apparently some guy or guys might be wanting to use your best friend for target practice so I have to be there to save him if my sources are right and they usually are. Why they're after him though is beyond me. I thought we just had to worry about the two princesses but now it seems Quatre might be on their hit list too. Any ideas why?"

"Quatre?" Trowa asked in surprise, frowning at the thought. "I can't think of any good reason why the son of a bitch would be interested him..well other then Quatre's politics of course. I'll put out the word for any information on it, see what I can find."

"Sounds good to me. Anyway I should be going now so I can change. Having to change my look enough so that I can fit in with a bunch of boring politicians and their over dressed wives is never an easy task. Hopefully they'll try for Quatre early on in the evening so that I can kill them and go to bed. Even an hour in those damn heels is going to be torture."

"I told Keyda to keep you away from Quatre." Trowa said in an aggravated voice though he mumbled most of it. Unfortunately for Trowa Eve had had her ears enhanced along with the rest of her senses..

"Now why would you do that?" Eve wanted to know then practically purred when it crossed her mind what the answer was very likely to be. "So you don't want me around him? Hmm worried about him, Silencer?"

"What the Hell was she thinking?" Trowa said more to himself then to her. "What part about keeping you away from Duo and Quatre did she not understand."

)

"Are you worried I'll go after him? Quatre I mean. Worried I'll try to catch him in my seductive web and corrupt him? As for Duo I've taken to avoiding him, the need to kill him is always so strong after being in his company for mere minutes" Eve asked in an amused voice.

"Shut up, Eve." Was his tense response.

"Well he is gorgeous."

"Eve."

"And he's got a great ass."

"Eve, stop it right now or else."

"And he has such a cute dimple."

"Eve, what do you call a blonde with a brain? A golden retriever."

"What did you just say?" Eve said with a hint of anger with a possibility of rage seeping in.

"What do you call a blonde with two brain cells? Pregnant."

"You tell one more dumb blonde joke and you're a dead man, Barton."

"What's the biggest similarity between a blonde and a beer bottle? They're both empty from the neck up."

"All right, now you're going to die." Eve hissed and there was the sound of running feet and then nothing but the broken breathing of the unconscious soldier. 


	15. Interrogations Begin

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the plot. Everything else belongs to someone else unfortunately. Hope you enjoy and I look forward to hearing from you. 

Interrogations Begin 

Meeting Room

"Now you see why I didn't want Trowa present." Duo said sadly as he turned the TV off. "I didn't want to believe it either but the voice has been analyzed, it matches Trowa's."

"Why would Trowa be involved with this? Maybe he's working undercover and wanted to keep it on a need to know basis." Relena said hopefully even as her common sentence told her differently. She refused to believe that Trowa meant her harm. He was her friend and that was final.

"He would have told us." Heero said shaking his head in disbelief. What was Trowa up to, he wondered. Eve claimed she was here to protect Relena, had Trowa hired her to do so? But if that was it why the whole cloak and daggers thing? Why not just come out and tell them about it. Plus the girl had broken into Preventers and they still didn't know why.

"I think that Relena's secretary is also involved." Duo said with a sigh, dropping the next bomb shell. "I checked deeper into her past and found some irregularities here and there..it just stuck in my craw that her name is Eve and...well you can see where I'm going. I also saw her and Trowa together the last time he was here and I think I saw him pass her something but I can't be sure. I figured maybe he'd finally decided to hit on a girl but well..yeah."

"You think Eve is Eve, don't you?" Noin said thinking it through, analyzing things as she picked them apart. "She started the day that our assassin broke into the offices and it's true that the best way to lie is to stick to the truth as much as possible. She likely figured that we'd never make the connection between her and Eve Tenchi, or that if we did we'd just think it was coincidence because it was just too unbelievable."

"But there's no way, they're so different." Quatre said shaking his head almost desperately. No, it just couldn't be. But that had been Trowa's voice and the way he'd talk to Eve...like they were really close. Like Trowa knew her a lot better then he did. How could she have done this, Quatre thought, the pain in his heart immense. How could she not have told him all of this?

"I think Duo's right, it's to much of a coincidence and if she was interested in keeping an eye on Relena this would be the perfect way to go about it. I say we take her in for questioning before she gets word and runs." Heero said with a nod to punctuate his words. "My gut tells me they're one and the same. It would explain how she got in here so easily and knows Relena's schedule. She's been running Relena's life after all."

"What about Trowa?" Noin said voicing everyone's thoughts.

"We'll wait and see." Heero said with a shake of his head.

)

The guys stood in the meeting room completely exasperated. They'd questioned Eve for over three hours but she wouldn't break. After the first hour she'd stopped talking completely. They'd tried every humane interrogation technique they knew but nothing they did worked or budged her an inch. They'd locked her in the interrogation room for the time being and she stood against the far wall staring at them through the glass as though she could see them. They were sure they had Eve, they just didn't know what to do with her. It wasn't like they had enough proof to charge her with anything after all. Sally had taken a blood test and she'd called a few minutes ago with her news. The test revealed that they had a Si Hanta on their hands and a very dangerous one she was.

"You need to let me in there." Sally said as she walked into the room, her face drawn and serious. She held a bag in one hand and she looked like what she was, a woman on a mission. She was going into that room whether they liked it or not. "Now."

"No you're not." Wufei said as he glared at her, his eyes telling her that he was letting her in there over his own dead body. He'd go to his grave laughing before he'd let her into that room with that creature. "She'll kill you."

"She'll die if you don't let me in there, Wufei. What use is she to you or anyone if she's dead? Not to mention what the people she works for would do to us" Sally said quietly, looking him straight in the eye to let him know she meant business. "Now let me in there, I'll be perfectly fine."

"What do you mean she'll die?" Quatre asked in the dead tone he'd adopted since he'd heard the recording of Trowa and Eve. It was like all the emotion had been sucked out of him and now he was left feeling numb and cold. He'd started the day on cloud nine and had quickly fallen down to hell.

He must be really worried about Trowa, Sally thought as she took in her friend's lifeless expression, reaching out a hand to squeeze Quatre's shoulder. It's almost like something inside of him has died, Sally thought with growing concern as she answered his question. "She requires medication to keep her body functioning properly, Quatre. She's not getting that medication. I examined the medication in her bag and it's designed to control the toxins in her body, she needs it now or the toxins in her blood will kill her and I doubt very much it will be a nice death. Obviously the scientists who created them wanted to make sure that their experiments were completely dependent on them for survival, likely to keep them in line. You don't obey you don't get your meds and you slowly die in agony. Effective huh? Now let me in."

"If we wait though she might be willing to talk in exchange for it." Milliardo said thoughtfully even though the idea was distasteful to him. He didn't like the idea at all but if that was what it took to get some answers he thought it was worth a shot.

"If she needs it to live then let Sally give it to her."" Relena said from the desk where she'd been going over everything in her mind. How could she have missed Eve's deception?

"No she won't." Heero said confidently, his eyes never leaving the defiant figure behind the glass. "She'll die first."

)

"You seem pretty sure of that, Heero." Duo commented looking up from some papers he'd been reading to look at his friend. "Why?"

"I am. We're two sides of the same coin, Duo. She'll put a gun to her head and pull the trigger before she betrays whoever she's protecting." Heero said as he absently fingered his side where his gun was visible. "Especially for someone like her..loyalty and pride are things she'd value most."

"You sound like you know her." Quatre said looking at him in surprise showing some emotion for the first time since they'd brought Eve in for questioning.

"I talked to her once, that was enough. She's another perfect soldier, a killing machine created to end the lives of others without mercy. We were designed to die for the causes of our creators without any thought of our own well being. Besides if we withhold that medicine, we'll be no better then the people who made her what she is." Heero said as he leaned his head against the glass. "And she knows that. She expects us to treat her badly...then again perhaps she doesn't." Heero said with a considering look. "She's obviously studied us..so she knows who she's dealing with."

"Give her the medicine, Sally." Duo said quietly as he broke the silence that had occurred at the end of Heero's words. "Heero's right. What kind of people would we be if we didn't? After the war we struggled to become regular human beings again. Let Sally help her."

"You can give her the medicine but one hint of danger and that's it, got it." Milliardo said harshly as he stared at them.

"Understood."

)

Eve didn't even bother to open an eye when she heard the only door in the room open. Her senses had already identified her visitors and so she waited to see what would come next. Sally's principles were too much like Relena to have been sent to question her. Perhaps she wants to run some more tests or ask some questions. For Sally's sake though she hoped not, she'd really hate to have to kill Sally. Trowa wouldn't like it and besides that Eve had no quarrel with the woman other then her profession. "Eve, I'm going to give you your medicine. If you try anything they'll shoot you." Sally's voice said softly and Eve couldn't help but smile a little as she opened her eyes to stare into Sally's concerned eyes. Should have known. Sally was pretty smart after all.

"I take it it's the medicine from my bag and that the blood test told you all you needed to know about it?" Eve said quietly in Chinese just for the fun of confusing the two guards with her. Let them worry about what terrible things she could be saying. 

"You speak my language?" Sally asked, replying in Chinese as she motioned the guards to give her more space but wasn't really surprised when they didn't move an inch.

"Yes. I'm surprised that they didn't decide to use the medication as a way to get me to talk. I suppose I have you, Relena and Quatre to thank for that." Eve said as she watched the two soldiers watch her nervously. Obviously their fellow Preventer's condition after messing with her had made them weary of her. And they should be, Eve thought as she deliberately smiled at them evilly just to provide her with the entertainment of watching them squirm.

"We thought about it but Heero told them you wouldn't talk and the others agreed that it would be inhumane to withhold it from you, especially when the worst thing you've done to us is break in here and beat up Duo's soldier." Sally said as she removed the full needle with Eve's medicine from the bag she'd held tightly in her hand.

"Not doing something because it's inhumane, now there's a novel idea." Eve said as she stared at the needle with a mixture of need and hatred for it's hold on her. "You do realize that the medicine you're about to give me would kill you if I stabbed you or one of the soldiers with it." Eve added quietly in Chinese so that whoever was behind the glass wouldn't be able to hear her. "Your systems wouldn't be able to handle the chemicals in the mix."

"I'll take my chances." Sally said as she removed the stopper, well aware of the risk she was taking. "Besides, what's to have prevented me from contaminating it before hand?"

"Your conscience." Eve replied looking her straight in the eye with a smirk on her lips.

"Exactly. Just as your conscience wouldn't hold with killing me after I took such a risk to help you." Sally said looking straight back at her with a knowing look. "Roll up your sleeve please."

"If you can convince the soldiers I'm not going to kill them I'd prefer to just take it off, it's getting kinda hot in here." Eve said with a hint of humor. "Every time I move they point their guns at my head."

)

"Go ahead." One of the soldiers said rather insulted that she thought they were afraid of her. Of course they were but damn if he'd admit it to anyone but himself.

"Well thanks, sweetheart." Eve said with another dangerous smile and reaching down slowly unbuttoned the suit jacket and taking it off laid it down on the table beside her. Deliberately arching her back as if to stretch Eve watched the soldiers eyes immediately become glued to her revealed chest and mentally sighed with amusement. Men were so easy to control it was almost sad. Almost, Eve thought with inner glee.

"You know she could have killed you two right now and you'd have been too busy staring at her cleavage to notice before you were dying." Sally said with a hint of humor as well as she watched them blush at her words. . Instead of the frumpy blouse under her suit jacket Eve had been wearing a very tight black tube top and now looked very much like the seductive Eve Tenchi she'd once been. "Nice trick, Eve."

"Men are stupid that way." Eve agreed before she could think better of it. "If you'll give me the needle I'll inject it."

"It's not to leave my hands. Men's orders." Sally said with a shake of her head that sent her braids swaying. "Where do you usually inject it?"

"Right here." Eve said twisting her right arm and bunched her hand into a fist to make the vein larger. "Whenever you're ready."

"Okay, this will probably hurt." Sally said as she pulled out a container, pulling out a cloth soaked in alcohol to clean the area.

"No more then the other hundred thousand times I've had to do it. You don't need to clean the area, my immune system will kill anything that enters my body that wouldn't put down an elephant." Eve said as she grinned slightly as she shook her head at Sally. "Your tests should have shown you that."

"Nothing wrong with being careful." Sally said as she moved Eve's arm closer to the light after cleaning it just on the principle of the point. Watching Eve's face closely Sally slide the needle into the vein and injected the chemicals into Eve's blood stream. She'd studied the medication before hand and this had to hurt but Eve's expression never changed and she showed no signs of trying to stop her. Pulling the needle out Sally pulled a Band-Aid out of her pocket and handed it to her.

"Thanks but it's already stopped bleeding. I heal quickly." Eve said evenly her face showing none of her pain even though there was considerable.

"Do you need anything else?" Sally said as she closed up her bag, her mind full of questions she knew there was no way she'd get answers to.

"No." Eve said as she smiled a half smile that would have surprised her to see. "Thanks for the help, Doc."

"All right then, good-bye, Eve." Sally said as she nodded at her then headed for the door.

"Sally."

) 

"What, Eve?" Sally said turning around. Surprised she watched Eve motion her back and curious Sally walked back to stand in font of her. "What is it?"

"He may be an overbearing jerk but if you love him, fight for him. If you wait you might never get the chance before he's taken from you and then you'll have nothing but your pride to keep you company." Eve said in Chinese as she deliberately looked past Sally to the hidden mirror where she'd bet she'd see Wufei Chang on the other side if she could. "From personal experience I can say that pride..well it can be more trouble then it's worth.

"How did you..." Sally said knowing exactly what she was saying and was surprised that the girl had noticed much less was bothering to comment on it.

"I'm a trained hunter, I studied all my prey and their environments. He loves you too. He just doesn't know it and when he does he'll run. You'll have to be quick to catch him."

)

Hours later

Eve stared at the wall and contemplated her life for the first time in a while. She was twenty three years old and had no real existence. If she died today she could count on one hand the number of people that would actually mourn her. It was a slightly depressing thought. And then there was Quatre. God what was she going to do about that. Even if she got out of here there was no way she could see him again. Heck she'd seen the look on his face when he'd watched the other pilots question her. He'd just stared at her as though she didn't exist, as though she didn't matter. That was the point of the problem, she wanted him to care. She wanted him to look at her with desire, with kindness and caring. The way he'd looked at her last night. She never wanted to see the blank look he'd worn again. Face it, Tenchi. For the first time in almost seven years you want something that's better off without you and you know that you have to leave it alone. And it hurts more then any experiment or injection.

)

"Eve?" 

At the sound of the door and her name Eve turned to see Relena approach along with Heero and Milliardo. "Yes?" Eve said as she watched the three approach in a solid line like an unbreakable wall. Her brothers had done that, Eve remembered. Their faces were the same as Adam and Gabriel's had been too when faced with her male fans or possible boyfriends. The "you touch her and you're going to be in the hospital" glare. A classic really and one every big brother, or at least every good big brother knew well.

"I was wondering if I could ask you a question about one of the meeting reports." Relena said as she smiled hesitantly at her former secretary. She'd been trying to think of what she'd say to Eve once she got the chance..nothing good enough had come to mind.

"Yea sure, why not." Eve said as she grinned at Heero and Milliardo, simply to annoy them of course. From the looks on their faces they knew it too.

"Alright then. Here's where the problem is. Or should I say here's what I don't understand, Eve" Relena said holding out the computer printout. She'd lied to the boys about why she'd wanted to talk to Eve but that would just stay between them hopefully..

Reading it over Eve saw that in fact Relena had written several questions on the sheet of paper and apparently wanted answers to them. Why not, Eve thought with a shrug, having nothing else to do but be bored. "No problem. Got a pen?"

"Here." Relena said holding out one, watching her brother and husband both frown at the motion. Likely envisioning one of them being stabbed with said pen, Relena thought with a grimace. Thanking her Eve began to read over the questions and answered the ones that suited her. When she was done she added a personal note then handed the sheet back to Relena. "Thank you, Eve." Relena said taking it from her.

"No problem." Eve said as she gave Milliardo a sarcastic salute before walking over to the farthest wall in the room and sitting down watched them leave before going back to a new distraction she'd encountered. Quatre and what she was suppose to do about him. A lot of the things she wanted to do concerning him weren't likely to be realized, especially since she was pretty sure he really didn't like her right about now. 

) 

A couple hours later 

"Let me try alone. I think she might talk to me." Quatre said, arguing his point again for what seemed like the thousandth time. "I'm Trowa's best friend..she might talk to me. Especially if she thinks it's in Trowa's best interest." 

"And there's the fact that she actually likes Quatre, she doesn't like any of you guys." Sally added with a smirk on her face, sure that Quatre had another reason for wanting to see Eve. She'd noticed that Eve had spent a lot of her interrogation time looking at Quatre and she was beginning to think Quatre might just have feelings for this assassin, possible feelings that were returned. 

"Yeah but all we need is her grabbing him and using him as her ticket out of here." Heero argued though he was beginning to come around. "Then again she's smart..she would know that she'd only get so far once the alarms were raised. That's likely why she hasn't tried anything yet. She'll wait until the best possible scenario presents itself. And Sally is right..she does seem to respond to him best. Plus it would appear that she's been protecting him, hurting him would be going against her mission." 

"You sure you want to risk it, Q-man? I mean one of us could come in with you, hang around in the background just in case." Duo said with a concerned look on his face. 

"She won't talk to me if anyone else is there. She'll talk to me if we're alone and she knows it's one on one." Quatre said quietly, needing to go in there and wanting to make absolutely sure he didn't have an audience. "Just give me ten minutes, that's all I ask. If she won't talk to me then that's that. All I'm asking for is the chance." 


	16. One on One

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the plot. Everything else belongs to someone else obviously lol. Anyway hope you enjoy and please review. thanks. 

One on One 

Quatre entered through the door to the room, walking in then shutting the door with a light kick so that he didn't give her his back. He wasn't that stupid. She was sitting on the floor with her back to the wall, her eyes never leaving him as she silently watched him. There were three chairs in the room plus a small table but he didn't touch any of them, preferring to sit down at her level. When he was about a meter away he took off his jacket, laid it on the ground then sat down on it without saying a word. When he was settled Quatre spoke. "The cameras and the speakers have been turned off. Anything you say is for my ears only." 

"Do you really believe they'd let you do that?" Eve said quietly, her eyes unblinking as she watched him like a cat watches a dog. Smugly but with an edge of weariness. "That they'd let you risk that? They might tell you differently but I've no doubt they lied to you or you're lying to me. Either way this room still has eyes and ears." 

"It doesn't." Quatre replied just as quietly then got to the point. "We know Trowa's involved in this so I know you're only here to help us. I just want to know why he didn't tell us there was trouble and who's causing the trouble." 

"There was no point in telling any of you that there was trouble as you call it. You're soldiers yes but the kind of trouble you're dealing with was and is out of your scope. You wouldn't have stood a chance and only have been in our way. As to who's causing your problems..well lets just say I want his blood shed more then any of you can imagine." Eve said with a shrug as she lifted a hand as if to study her nails, an excuse not to hold his gaze. "As for Trowa...well I'm afraid I'll be no help to you there." 

"He's your friend? There was affection in your tone when you talked to him last night. Even when he was making the dumb blonde jokes." Quatre said evenly, noticing the look of surprise flicker through her eyes before disappearing quickly though not fast enough. "We have your whole conversation with him on tape." 

) 

"The soldier was bugged..I should have checked. it was careless of me. It's always the little things that can cause you the biggest amount of trouble." Eve said though there was annoyance in her voice now, not at all pleased to hear of her mistake. if Trowa hadn't interrupted her she'd have thought to look but he had and it was her fault for letting her friend distract her, not Trowa's. "I take it he was retrieve with little to no difficulty? The soldier I mean." 

"He's in our medical wing being patched up. You worked him over good before you came to the party." Quatre replied, sharper then he'd intended. 

"And if I hadn't gone to that party odds were you'd have left that estate in a body bag and on your way to heaven of an entirely different sort." Eve shot back, her eyes flashing dangerously for a moment. She wouldn't be judged by anyone, least of all him. No one but someone who'd walked in her shoes was allowed to judge her. Had any right to. "If you'd listened to me that soldier would be fine. You put him in my path, I removed him. Simple as that." 

"Simply as that? You beat the hell out of a man who did absolutely nothing wrong and it doesn't bother you at all? You can do that then calmly show up at a party as though you've just come from a day at the salon?" Quatre demanded, wanting her to show at least some remorse for what she'd done. To show signs that she was more then just the soldier.. 

"Yes I can. Just as I calmly walked out of that party and shot the man who'd intended to kill you while you were out getting your night air." Eve shot back, her eyes flashing as she forgot to watch her tongue. "And I left that body lying there, the blood draining out of his head and went off with you and you left with me without a thought about the man we left behind on that grass we ended up rolling around on." 

"The body..Jesus Christ..I'd and totally...Jesus." Was all Quatre could say as he raked his hands through his already mussed hair. He hadn't given his would be assassin a single thought all day, or at least only in passing. "What happened to the body? it would have been discovered by now." 

"It's been taken care of." Eve said with a shrug then seeing the look on his face hissed in irritation. "He had no family and we did a run on him first. There was no one who would have cared so we got rid of it and that was that. What were we supposed to do with it? Turn it over to the police? If we did that we'd spend thousands every year bribing officers to slid the killings under the rug. If they have family we let them have the corpse, if they don't we get rid of them. Simple as that. That's more then some can say." 

"Why do you have to kill at all?" Quatre blurted out then wished he could take it back as her eyes went cold and hard, her whole body language giving off the same aura. "I'm sorry..I had..I just don't like the idea. I can't understand why anyone would want to make taking lives their life's work." 

Watching him Eve could read him well enough in that moment to understand what he was trying to say. Because he cared for her, Lord only knows why, he didn't want to think of her as a killer. And now he was being forced to which bothered him, especially after last night. And because of last night she owed him a small explanation. "The people I kill..I'm not a killer for hirer and though in a way killing people may be my life's work it's not for money. I hunt the people who were involved in the project that created me, Quatre. I hunt them down and those who think as they did to prevent...to prevent what happened to me and my family from happening to someone else. The project's already been restarted once, I'm trying to see that it can't happen again. If that means killing the sadist minds of those involved then I have no grief or shame. I will never regret it either. I'd rather damn myself to hell then sit by and watch." 

) 

"Oh." Quatre said quietly and went quiet as he thought that over. Putting himself into her shoes..having seen and been subjected to what she had..he couldn't really blame her much less judge her. If someone had done to anyone he cared about what had been done to her he'd hunt down the evil bastards and killed them himself. He had blood on his hands but had always felt the weight of guilt, perhaps that was why he had a hard time not judging Eve. Because she felt none. Then again he'd never been faced with killing people like the ones she hunted. He didn't like what she did but he couldn't judge her for it. he didn't have the right to. He didn't know if anyone other then God did. "I understand. I don't know what else to say." 

"Go on home, Quatre." Eve said softly, humbled by what she saw in his eyes. She hadn't expected him to even try to understand, much less succeed. "You look like hell and you don't belong in here with me." 

"You don't belong in here either..Evie."Quatre said carefully, watching her eyes flash once more, this time with sadness at the use of an old nickname used only by one. Two now. "I'll try to get them to let you out. We can't really charge you with anything other then assault anyway and there wouldn't be much of a point. Everything else is circumstantial evidence." 

"I know but I've found that laws tend to be forgotten when it suits." Eve said quietly then shifting moved closer and set a hand on Quatre's shoulder, on her knees now in front of him. "Don't get more mixed up in this then you need to. Stay out of this, Quatre. It's not your fight and I don't want you trying to be my white knight. I'm not a princess in need of rescuing, don't think I am." 

"I'll do what I want thanks." Quatre said as he took her hand from his shoulder and brought it to his lips, pressing a kiss on the back of her pale hand. "I'll come back later with food. What would you like?" 

"You're being annoying, Blue Eyes. I thought you were suppose to be the easy one, not the most dangerous one." Eve said in a voice so low it was almost a whisper. "What am I supposed to do with you." She added with a sigh then turned her head at the sound of the door being knocked on. Hard. 

) 

"Think of me and remember that you aren't alone, that you won't be as long as I have a say." Quatre replied just as quietly, leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead before getting to his feet, letting her hand go. "That's the single that my time is up. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask." Quatre added with a slight bow then turning around gave her his back as he headed for the door. Not even hearing her she was sitting one moment, the next she was across the room and directly behind him, her lips just in front of his left ear. 

"Rule number one, Blue Eyes." Eve whispered, her body snug against his back as she whispered into his ear. "Never turn your back on the enemy." 

"I know. I never do." Quatre said without turning around to face her, standing still facing the door. "Rule number two, Green Eyes. Trust me." 

"If I were capable of trusting someone perhaps I would." Eve whispered back, tilting her head to place a light kiss on his exposed neck. "You forgot your jacket." 

"I didn't forget anything." Quatre replied huskily then moving away walked over to the door and opened it, looking back to meet her eyes once before exiting, closing the door behind him. 

Hearing the sound of the door opening again a few minutes later Eve lifted her head, expecting to see Quatre or her interrogation team. It was neither. Eyes flashing Eve watched Lady Une walk into the room. Alone. Every nerve coming alive as she watched the woman walk closer and closer it took all Eve had not to walk over and snap the woman's neck like a dry twig. 

"Hello, Eve. I would imagine you're thinking I'm a fool to come here much less to come here alone. I can only imagine how much you want me dead." Lady Une began as she took a seat on one of the hard chairs resting beside the table. "I came here because I wanted to apologize to you for my hand in what was done to you. I know an apology is likely worthless and will mean little to you but I wanted to at least say it. I wish I could undo what I've done, I wish I could undo a lot of what I've done in the past but I can't. Neither of us can." 

"I have no regrets for the things I've done." Eve said as she looked at Lady Une with eyes filled with blinding hatred and disgust. "You have the blood of thousands of children on your hands. Enough said. Now get out." 

"All right then." Lady Une said quietly as she got up and left the room, leaving Eve to her peace and quiet once more though there was little peace. 

) 

A few hours later Lady Une's assistant hesitantly entered the meeting room where everyone was gathered. "I'm sorry to interrupt, everyone. Lady Une, there's a young man here to see you. I would have told him to make an appointment at a later date but he said it's about the Si Hanta project and I knew you were looking for information on it." The woman said with a nervous smile. "Would you like me to make an appointment with him?" 

"Send him in now." Lady Une demanded and everyone perked up at the conversation. When a young man of about twenty four or so was led in they were all seated and watching him closely, wondering what new information he might have. "Sit down please." Lady Une said as she motioned to a chair and when he was seated she began. "So what can I do for you, Mr..?" 

"Doctor, Doctor Elliot Finch, ma'am." The man said as he pushed his glasses up his nose in a typical geek fashion. "And I'm here because I've learned that you're showing interest in the Si Hanta project and I came to see if you were thinking of restarting the project. My father, Doctor Elliot Finch senior was one of the senior scientists on the project before it was canceled." 

"I thought the name sounded familiar." Lady Une said with a considering look on her face, putting a face to the name though the face was a tad hazy. His son had taken after him. "You're father didn't come as well? I believe I met him once or twice." 

"My father is dead. The hantas got him." Elliot said, his eyes flashing with hatred behind the lenses of his glasses. "They've been hunting everyone even remotely related to the project and destroyed every attempt to continue with the research since Oz backed out on the project. If it weren't for them I could come to you now with data to show you the advancements made in reference to the project." 

"Hold on. Do you mean to say that the Si Hanta project..wasn't ended?" Relena demanded to know, her face expressionless because it wouldn't do to show her feelings on this matter just yet. Not when she had a good idea exactly what kind of a person this man was. 

"Well once the funding was cut off on the original project it stopped for several years but there have been those who've attempted to pick up where the original scientists left off." Elliot said cagily, not so stupid he wasn't aware that he could be dealing with people who would understand his vision. "But there have been attempted to restart it, yes." 

"So you have proof that there are Hantas out there right now? How many?" Lady Une demanded to know, leaning forward in her chair slightly to get her point across. She wanted answers and she wanted them now. "I know that the scientists claimed they were all killed but I know that's not true and you confirmed it. Now how many are there and don't even think about lying." 

"It's hard to say." Elliot said, a hint of sulk in his voice. "According to my father only five of the specimens kept in China were in any shape to escape, two of them just barely hanging on. The ones in Austria had better luck, six managed to escape that we can confirm so between 8-11 from the original project. We don't know for sure who's alive and whose not from the original experiments. Then there are the seven children from the latest experiments, they should all be alive." 

) 

"Seven..children?" Duo said slowly, crossing his arms in front of his chest, a feeling of dread welling up inside him. "What children?" 

"Well a couple years ago the project was started again only this time the specimens were genetically altered as fetuses so that they would stand a better chance of surviving the later alterations. That was only on a small scale though, only ten specimens in total though it was showing remarkable results before the specimens were stolen and the scientists executions. Seven were alive and healthy before they were taken." Elliot said with a look of regret. "I've seen some of their reports and it's quite possible that with a few alterations they might have succeeded." 

"Specimens..that's what you call them?" Quatre said slowly, getting to his feet with a look on his face so dark and full of rage that it put Heero to shame. "They were people, children and you can sit there and talk about them like they're rodents? Like they were nothing but disposable organisms to play with? After all your father was eating breakfast with you then going to the lab to murder thousands of innocent human beings. It wasn't you he was injecting with poisons and toxins. It wasn't you he was locking in a room full of the dead and the dying. It wasn't you he was killing and mutilating without a qualm. How can you sit there and regret that these people weren't stopped? My God what the hell kind of a person are you?" Quatre demanded, his eyes flashing even as Wufei and Duo lifted hands to restrain him from walking around the table and strangling the bastard with his own tie. 

"Obviously you've never heard of the saying the end justifies the means, Senator Winner." Elliot said coolly, his face impassive though it had paled slightly at the show of violence. "What my father and his colleagues did, what they and others since have striven to do is create the perfect soldier to protect the rest of humanity. You all fought in the war, wouldn't you have rather been able to stay at home with your loved ones and let others fight it for you? Others who won't expect to be paid or rescued? Soldiers who can withstand any type of torture and recover easily from wounds that would kill any one else? Soldiers that will do what they're told and never turn on you? Think how much better the world and the colonies would be with these soldiers to police it. There would never be another war simply because everyone would be too afraid to start one. I think that's worth the death of a few insignificant individuals. Wouldn't you agree, Lady Une?" 

"I agree that they are those of us in this world who don't deserve to live because of their lifestyle and the things they've done. You and I are two of them." Lady Une said quietly, her face stark white. "And as God as my witness...I hope the hantas kill ever last person like us." 


	17. Broken Cage

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the plot lines. Everything else belongs to someone else otherwise I'd be rich and too busy enjoying it to write and work lol. Anyway I hope you enjoy and please review cause I'd love to hear from you about what you thought about it. Thanks and have a great day. 

) 

Broken Cage 

"Damn it..why are we just letting him walk out of here." Duo demanded to know as they watched the young doctor walk away as if he didn't have a care in the world. Or even a grain of guilt on his shoulders. "I mean..he's insane and has been killing children. Why can't we arrest him?" 

"There's no proof that he did anything wrong, Duo. If you noticed he was very careful to never say he had a hand in anything, only that he knew it was going on. There isn't any proof to find either since I'd imagine that the hantas destroyed it all. " Noin said as she laid a hand on Duo's shoulder. "There's nothing we can do right now." 

"Well we could but it would be going outside the law." Heero said coldly, just itching to get a gun and blow the little prick's head off. He knew he could see to it that the body was never found. 

"They'll get him." Quatre said quietly as he watched the man turn the corner and out of sight. God how he wanted to run after the man and strangle him to death with his bare hands. Never had he known such rage before and he found that it consumed him, driving away every thought but to choke the life out of that murderer. "He'll die and he won't die quickly once they get their hands on him. And they will. In time." 

"And I for one would cheer them on." Relena said as she shivered, moving closer to Heero. "That look in his eyes. He really did think it was nothing to kill all those children. As if the death of children were no more tragic then the death of a fly. How can anyone think like that? Look in the mirror every day knowing that?" 

"A single death is a tragedy, a million deaths a statistic." Sally said softly as she quoted Stalin, a twentieth century dictator who'd killed millions of his own people in his race to be the best. He'd likely thought of those deaths as acceptable losses too. "People will always do terrible things and claim that the ends will justify the means." 

"Yeah well if that's the way they feel they should have done the testing on themselves and left innocent children alone." Duo said hotly, his eyes dark with anger and barely leashed rage. "Did you see the way he smirked at us when we let him go? It was like he was taunting us with the fact that he knew there was nothing we could do to stop him." 

"Well he will pay, Duo. Even if it isn't in this life he will pay in the afterlife." Wufei said as he crossed his arms in front of his chest as if to ward off a chill. "And no one escapes the judgment of the almighty." 

) 

Walking out of the Preventers towards his car Doctor Finch was far from pleased. How dare they look at him like that. How dare they call him a monster and look at him with such disgust? Well they wouldn't be so superior when he succeeded in the project and those ignorant, small minded Preventers were faced with an army of super soldiers. Then they'd wish they'd been nicer. He really shouldn't have expected them to understand though. They were just soldiers and two faced politicians after all. Such small minds could never truly understand the greatness of his plans until they were faced with it heads on. Oh then they'd be sorry, Finch thought with a sneer. Lady Une had been a definite disappointment as well but she was a woman and therefore as two faced as any politician. She'd sat there, all high and mighty like she was better then he was. Well she would soon learn differently. But perhaps he'd let her live long enough to see what greatness she'd helped bring forth before she changed her tune so that she wouldn't have to pay for what she'd done in the past. A typical woman, doing whatever it takes to protect her hide, throw aside all your ideals and values if it kept your neck out of the noose. 

"Hello, Doctor. Long time no see." Came a voice and Elliot spun on his heels, turning to see two figures walk out of the darkened parking lot and towards him with slow, measured strides. 

"Who are you?" Finch demanded to know, a shiver of warning racing down his spine. Who were these people? Preventers sent to hassle him? 

"You don't recognize us? Well you were just a boy when your father brought you to the labs. Brought you to see the race of super soldiers he was creating. I'm sure it's a field trip you didn't soon forget." The taller of the two said, his voice as cold as ice. "We weren't sure that you'd followed in his footsteps, not completely anyway. But after that little speech..well I think that confirms everything. Obviously you decided not to take our warning to heart." 

"Warning? Oh God you're..you're hantas. Two of the originals." Finch nearly squeaked, his face losing all color as they reached up and removed the shades they'd been wearing, their glowing eyes fixed on him like radars. 

"Yes we are...you really shouldn't have followed in your father's footsteps, Elliot. Now you're going to follow him to hell." Was the older one's cold response before pulling out a device then pointing it at the doctor fired, sending a stream of electricity into Finch which sent him into a wriggling fit before he hit the ground, still barely conscious. "You're death is going to be as slow and as painful as all the children you've killed in the past. We'll see how you like being the lab rat." Picking him up together the two carried him over to their van and threw him in the back. First they'd deliver Finch to his new home and then they would come back for Eve. 

) 

Hours later 

Breathing harder then usual Heero stared through the glass at the motionless assassin who appeared to be playing possum. She'd been leaning against the wall for over an hour now and had yet to twitch, much less move. Her back had to be killing her by now, Heero thought absently as he bit back a yawn. She was made of stern stuff and he wasn't the least surprised with how well she'd been holding up. They'd tried to interrogate her again with the information that they'd gotten from the doc but she'd remained completely silent, not saying a word. Not an emotion on her face either no matter what button they'd pushed. The only telling thing was that she'd shot Quatre a few glances during the interview, silent communications between the two. It would appear that Relena was right and Eve did like Quatre. They'd tried sending him in alone but she wouldn't talk to him either.

"Are you all right?" Relena asked, coming up from behind to wrap her arms around his waist, nuzzling her face against his back. "You're exhausted, aren't you?".

"I'm fine." Heero said as he continued to stare at the glass. Truth be told he was close to being dead on his feet but he had no intention of leaving this place until they got some answers. Or until she escaped. Whichever came first.

"There's no way she can get out, Yuy. Relax." Duo confidently said coming to stand beside his friend who looked more then a little tense. Heero had been watching the girl like a hawk all night and it was wearing Duo out just watching him. "Why don't you go stretch out and get a few Zs. She's not going anywhere any time soon."

"She'll escape, Duo." Heero said just as confidently as he turned his head towards his friend with a very serious look in his eyes. He knew she would, had known it all day. You couldn't hold someone like that for long. Even if she couldn't do it alone there were those that would come and get her out. She wasn't alone in this city and her friends were as dangerous as she was. More so possibly because they didn't have ties with any one them. 

)

"Really and how do you think she'll get out?" Duo asked only half joking as Relena walked over to the other side of the room to get something to eat. If Heero really did think she could get out of the building, loaded full of security Heero had designed and installed himself..well then that was just a scary thought.

"She's not someone who'll just do as you expect, Maxwell. She's studied all of us. She knows us, she's already gone through her options and is now waiting for the moment to carry her plan through." Heero said coolly as he sent Duo a look that said he hadn't a doubt in his mind about this. "It wouldn't surprise me if she had planned for this possibility before she even came to work here. She's survived this long, she didn't do it by being careless and not preparing. She's been caged too much, she won't be able to stand it for long. She'll get out simply because she can't survive otherwise."

"You can't know that, Heero." Milliardo said shaking his head though he was beginning to think perhaps his brother in law had a point. There was just something about Eve, this Eve he saw before him that made him think there wasn't a lot she couldn't do. Or wasn't capable of doing if the need arose. "And she's not in a cell, she would have thought she'd be put in one instead of in this room and it's not like she suffering right now."

"Yes I can. She'll escape. It's not a question of can she so much as when will she." Heero said as he crossed his arms in front of his chest stubbornly. "And she's not alone, Milliardo. I'd bet a great deal that there are more then a handful of people involved in all this who want her out of here. Who will come to get her out of her any minute now."

) 

"Heero." Relena said with a start, interrupting their conversation before Milliardo could argue his point again and the two get into a bitching match. There was something that was bothering her and she was going to bring it to their attentions before they came to blows.. "What's that smell? It's starting to give me a headache."

Looking at her questioningly Heero ignored everything and concentrated on the air and the scents it brought, his eyes popping open when he recognized the faint scent as he got closer and closer to Relena. "Steelit." Heero said naming a sleeping gas he'd used himself during the war though rarely since it was expensive and hard to come by. "She was quicker then I thought." he finished before Relena fell forward, unconscious into his arms, Heero falling with her to the floor shortly with the rest of his friends in a painless and deep sleep.

) 

Meanwhile the door to Eve's lovely holding area opened and as the lights went off on cue Eve could make out two sets of glowing eyes staring at her from the doorway. It had taken them long enough, she thought, even as she got to her feet with cat like grace. "Took you two long enough. What did you do? Stop for some take out on your way here?" Eve said accepting the guns handed to her, knowing they'd be loaded and ready to go. They'd be needed to get out of this place in one piece. 

"Let's blow this joint shall we, big sister?" J.C. said cockily as he bowed low with a wink, motioning gallantly towards the door they'd come through as he moved out of the way to let her pass.

"My thoughts exactly." Eve agreed with an identical grin as she walked into the darkness with Darius and J.C. covering her back. It was time to get the hell out of here and report the latest developments to the boss. She was not going to be a happy camper at all. 

) 

Breathing hard Noin almost missed them as she exited the Preventers building in pursuit of the Hantas who'd been spotted exiting the building moments before. Swearing lightly under her breath she prayed that her husband and their friends were all right as she tried to figure out how in gods name she was going to bring the damn assassins in without her body being shot full of holes. Well they'd been protecting her for the last month at least so maybe they'd simply maim her this time, Noin thought hopefully as she tried to block the image of the man Eve had killed so easily from the tape from her mind without a hell of a lot of success. The man had been a hunk of solid muscle, towering over the girl and yet Eve had killed him in seconds without a scratch on her. What chance did she really have against one of them? Much less three. "Well I might as well find out and hope I have the chance to tell them about it later." Noin said to herself with a smirk as she tried not to think about her husband's reaction to this is she made it out of this alive. Milliardo was definitely not going to be pleased.

Reloading her weapon while she ran after them, her searching eyes quickly caught sight of them at the edge of the Preventers training area, melting into the darkness as though they were a part of it. Taking aim she fired a warning shot into the air near their heads and while they processed the shot she managed to get close enough that she could just barely make out three human shapes in the darkness that surrounded them all and made her skin crawl with uneasiness. She was on their turf in the dark, they had the advantage. "Hold it, Eve!" She yelled out not really expecting an answer so she was surprised that not only did they stay put but they merely watched her walk towards them, making no move to shoot at her or move. A single figure moved slightly closer to her, eyes glowing yellow in the darkness and in the darkness she could just make out the gun clutched loosely in the figure's hand. It was Eve, she was sure of it and unlike the many times she'd met the girl she felt fear at the mere sight of her.

"Do you think that's really wise, Noin? All things considering?" Eve stated softly as she motioned with her head for her companions to move on without her. Without showing any hesitation they did so and with a measure of shock Noin recognized one of the men as her assistant Darius from the brief glimpse of his face in the glow of the moon. "You're really not in a position right know to give orders. Seems to me you're all alone and you're not a fool either for that matter. If we wanted you dead right now you would be before anyone could come to your rescue. So turn around..and run away."

)

"Darius." Noin said simply in a barely audible whisper as she watched him and the other man melt into the darkness with an ease that was like watching a person slip into a piece of clothing tailored to fit him. "He's in this too." She couldn't believe it, now she knew how Relena felt. To think that all this time she'd been kicking herself for not making the connection with Eve when she'd had her own traitor right under her nose to deal with. Sweet and charming Darius was a Hanta; she'd had one by her side the whole time and hadn't even known it.

"Very perceptive, most people don't clue in until we tell them which is usually too late for them to do anything about it. Then again, you've proven to be far more resourceful then we anticipated, Noin. You've come closer then anyone to ever uncovering a small part of what's going on which is as impressive as it is annoying." Eve said with a half smile figuring that there wasn't any point in trying to convince Noin otherwise about Darius, she wouldn't insult the other woman's intelligence by trying. Things were getting out of hand too quickly though, Eve thought as she picked up on the other woman's fear that Noin was trying so hard to hide. "So we're at a bit of a standoff Commander. I really don't want to have to kill you but I will, you know I will. not to mention that I should." she added looking Noin straight in the eye as she smiled darkly. Of all the soldiers to have followed her out it had to be Noin, Eve thought with a shake of her head. She respected the soldier a great deal and it would be a shame to kill her, a real waste. Besides that the last thing she need was the Peacecrafts on her tail in a pitiful attempt to avenge his wife, her sister in laws death for the rest of their lives. Not to mention the political problems when she ended up having to kill the both of them. She didn't enjoy killing anyway and so she decided to try to scare Noin off, better her to feel like a coward then not to feel at all. "Any request for an epitaph? That is if I leave enough body parts to be worth a gravestone?" Eve asked as she deliberately made her voice as evil as possible that sent shivers coursing down Noin spine.

"I know that you're not the enemy here Eve." Noin said having put quite a few pieces of the mysterious puzzle together as she'd run after the three Hantas. She still knew that she was in deep trouble; she just thought that maybe she wasn't right about who exactly the enemy was. "For some reason you and Darius have been making it your business to guard Relena and I from someone who's trying to see us dead right? We have a videotape of you guarding Relena and that meeting at that national park wasn't a coincidence either, was it? You were there for a reason; you risked your life to save us for a reason. I don't know why you're doing it or who else is involved but I do know that Yamachi and Trowa are and I'm pretty damn sure you're not the bad guy here. I know that you won't just tell me everything so take me with you and take me to someone who will explain or has the authority to. Let us know what's going on, we've earned that much given how much trouble we've been causing each other."


	18. Down the Rabbit Hole

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the plot lines. Everything else belongs to someone else so Merry Christmas and don't sue me lol. Anyway hope ya enjoy and please review. 

Down the Rabbit Hole 

"Take you with me?" Eve said slowly, a hint of respect in her voice as she looked calmly at the older woman who'd she come to respect despite her taste in men. Noin was just full of surprises it would seem. "Very brave of you. I've seen and heard the tape you guys have of me. I know you've seen it as well so you know how easily I can and will take a life. You know what I'm capable of, Noin. Many people would say that I make Heero seem like a fkin saint in comparison. How do you know I'll behave if I take you with me? For all you know I'll simply take you to some deserted area and make sure that no one ever sees you alive again. Or even your body for that matter." Eve said deliberately moving her gun so that one of the searchlights made it gleam momentarily in the darkness, emphasizing her point. "I can see you perfectly right now. Shooting you would be as easy as shooting a fish in a barrel the size of a basketball. Are you really sure you can trust me to deliver you safely to your answers? You know about Darius and his involvement, that's reason enough to kill you. Why should you believe anything I say or me you?"

"Just my belief that you're in this to help me, not harm me, Eve." Noin said calmly as she stared back with a confidence she wasn't feeling. Her head was telling her to run like the demons of hell were after her but her instincts were saying to take this risk. Either way she figured this night was just going to keep getting worse.

)

Watching Eve closely another piece fell into place as Noin remembered some data she'd read and a fact that had been nagging her. Thinking it through she finally figured out what it was about the Angel boy that had bothered her. He'd reminded her of someone but now it fell into place perfectly including why the boy was most likely the other Hanta with them. Angel was another of the victims only he was supposed to have died in the first week. But Eve wasn't the type to let that happen, Noin thought as she looked at Eve with new eyes as an idea occurred to her. "J.C. Angel. Would the J.C. stand for Joseph Christian by any chance? And last time I checked Tenchi also means Angel in another language. That's why he knew so much about the experiments and that's why he reminded me of your brother Gabriel in the way he smiled. J.C. Angel is your little brother, he didn't die from the experiments and he's a hanta, just like you. Or at least they tried to make him one."

"Too smart...far too smart for your own damn good." Eve said, her tone deadly as her eyes seemed to glow even more in the darkness. Bringing up family was a good way to get her attention and was also a deadly move. People who learned about her baby brother didn't live long. She'd do anything and she did mean anything to protect Joseph. Her only family that she had left now. She'd failed to protect him once but never again. Not so long as she lived. "You've just stepped into quicksand bringing him into it, Noin. Lets see if it was worth the risk. Follow me, if you still think you can and I'll take you to the answers you seek." Without bothering to wait for an answer Eve turned on her heels and walked the way the other two had left. With a deep breathe Eve was followed shortly by Noin who prayed that she wasn't making a big mistake. A deadly mistake.

)

"Milliardo?" Sally said as she lightly shook him on the shoulder after she propped him up against a desk. Lightly patting him on the cheek she was relieved to see his eyelashes flicker and seconds later his eyes opened, blinking at the sudden light. He looked pale but as a whole he was alive and well. Being able to say that after dealing with hantas was a big deal. "Welcome back to the world of the conscious."

"Sally?" Milliardo said staring up at her as his eyes began to focus as he blinked rapidly. Looking around he saw that he was sitting on the floor with his back pressed up against a desk and he currently had the mother of all headaches. Damn, this couldn't possibly be good. "What the hell happened?"

"Our prisoner escaped custody, Commander. But the good news is as far as I know they didn't kill anyone to do it." Sally said with a ironic smirk on her face as she held out her hand and helped him to his feet. "You guys were lucky, it was a non toxic gas. You guys should be all right in a couple of hours aside from the killer headaches. I would recommend that you go home early and sleep the effects off but knowing you guys you won't do that much less lower yourself to take some aspirin."

"Damnit it to hell." Milliardo said as he stood alone on shaky feet, feeling his stomach roll in protest. "Relena?" he said turning his to where his sister had been, sighing with relief when he saw her safe in her husband's arms and wide awake though she was looking a little pale as Heero rubbed her back. "Any causalities in the escape?"

"No, they shot to wound and not kill. Over a dozen of our men will be out of commission for a while but they'll all be just fine in a few days." Sally said with a relieved smile. "We were lucky, what they aimed at they hit, we could have had a lot of casualties. They knocked out all the lighting and we can safely say that there are at least three hantas alive at the moment. Two males came in and saved her." Sally added as she looked over to see Duo's head move ever so slightly. "Looks like Maxwell's coming around too, good thing he landed on his head, we don't have to worry about him damaging any part of that thick skull."

)

"Looks like you were right, Heero." Wufei said as he reentered the room, his headache only slightly less then the others. When Heero had recognized and named the gas Wufei had been able to get the door open before collapsing, allowing him to alert the outside guards and limit his exposure to the gas's purpose. "We underestimated her." He admitted looking into the empty holding room. It was hard to admit it but that woman was as far from weak as a person could get. She was proving to be a truly interesting opponent as well as one big pain in the ass. What he wanted to know was how the others had been alerted to her circumstances. Plus where Trowa had been when the breaking out had been accomplished. He would bet a great deal that Trowa hadn't been part of this but there was always that slight chance that shouldn't be ignored. Even when you wanted to.

"Well at least now we have a better idea of what we're up against. There are at least three of them in the area and odds are they're pissed right about now." Heero said softly as he held his wife a bit tighter against him. The gas could have just as easily have been poisonous, they could all be dead now and all it would have taken was seconds. Understanding Relena turned around in Heero's arms and laid her head on his shoulder, wrapping her still weak arms around his waist in silent comfort. She knew that he hated to ever be out of control of a situation and she knew that he above all else understood the people they were dealing with.

"Where's Noin?" Milliardo demanded, noticing for the first time that his own wife wasn't in the room. He knew she was in the building so why wasn't she here? He could have been killed so why wasn't she here worrying about him?

"We don't know." Sally said softly as she tried to smile though she was getting more then a little worried herself. Noin hadn't checked in with anyone in over twenty minutes and no one seemed to be able to find her anywhere. "She was with several soldiers who went after them when we confirmed you were alive. The group was forced to split up and Noin hasn't come back yet. I'm sure she'll show up at any minute though."

"What!" Milliardo said feeling the blood drain from his face as the impact of her words hit him dead in the chest. Noin had gone after those monsters? No one knew where she was and if she was all right?

"I'm sure she's fine, Millliardo. She survived the war easily enough, I'm sure she's somewhere in the building on her way here as we speak." Sally said but there was a note of fear in her voice that gave her away. She hoped that her friend was all right but she had a sinking feeling that her friend wasn't going to be walking through the door anytime soon. Noin had been determined to catch them and when Noin was determined to do something..well she did it.

"I'm sure she's fine, Peacecraft." Heero said in a calm voice as he hugged Relena tighter in reflect to the idea of Noin being in danger. "I still think that they're on our side somehow though how exactly I have no idea. Trowa's involved in this and he's not a fool or a traitor, if he trusts them then he has a good reason to. They don't know that we've set a tail on Trowa or that we have as much information on them as we do. That means they still probably don't see us as a big enough threat that we're worth worry about. This isn't the first time one of us has come into contact with one of them where they're angry at us and we've yet to be harmed except for Duo's soldier and she could have done a hell of a lot worse. I'm willing to bet that they don't have any intention of causing us harm or at least not to an extreme. If she's with them they might have just taken her for insurance or to scare us into doing what they want us to do. A way of making us play by their rules."

"You better be right, Yuy. You're betting on Noin's life here." Milliardo said with a dark look as his mind turned to thoughts of all the people he'd lost over the years and how it would feel if he had to add his wife to the large group of people he'd had to bury. Losing her....there was no life in him without her.

)

"We're here." Eve said a half an hour later from the back seat of the car as they pulled into a long driveway. The driveway was well hidden and could be easily missed unless you were going really slow and looking for it. Noin stared straight ahead and ignored Eve for now as she watched a large mansion appear before them, surrounded by high iron gates and walls to keep people out. Coming to a stop in front of the gate Darius rolled down his window and spoke a few words to one of the guards in Chinese, a brief conversation taking place. Seconds later the gates opened and they drove up the long driveway, coming to a stop in front of the house's doors.

"We'll drop you two off and then report in." Darius said as he put the brake on stopping at the front entrance smoothly. "Okay with you, Eve?" he asked looking over at Eve, ignoring his former commander all together. He didn't like or want her here but Eve and Keyda were in charge, not him. He was pretty that they could trust Noin but they'd trusted the wrong people before with disastrous results.

"Fine." Eve said motioning for Noin to exit from her side. Following the instruction Noin got out of the car and moved around it to stand beside Eve. The two women watched the car drive away before they turned towards the front door of the house that was probably quite beautiful in the light. Eve had called ahead but Noin hadn't recognized the language they'd used but apparently she'd been given permission to visit. "If you do anything stupid you'll be dead before you can move so much as a foot. You do realize that, don't you?" Eve said turning her attention to Noin, giving the woman a look that said she thought Noin was being a complete idiot.

"I understand." Noin said with a short nod as she straightened her shoulders. If this was going to be the end she was going to meet it with shoulders straight and head held high like any true solider. "I take it we're expected?"

"Follow me." Eve said simply as she began walking up the steps with sure strides despite the lack of light. Not that she needed it, Noin thought with a smirk as she caught a glimpse of Eve's eyes when she turned to make sure of their surroundings. It was probably around two in the morning and Noin was sorely missing her bed right now but she forced herself to move on as she joined Eve at the door and followed her in. The inside of the house was only minimally lit and Noin kept her eyes on Eve as they walked out of the main stairway and headed for a side door where light was barely showing from under the door. Standing together in front of the door Eve turned back to look at Noin again. "Are you sure? Once you walk in there's no turning back for you."

"I'm sure." Noin said with a nod as she took a deep breath. "I want to know."

"Then welcome to your answers." Eve said pushing the door open and with another deep breath Noin followed her into the well-lit library. To her surprise Noin instantly recognized the young woman who sat waiting for them without expression on her lovely face even though it had been years since they'd seen each other last. 

)

"Hello, Noin. It's been a long time, hasn't it?" Keyda said calmly as she watched Eve enter with the familiar form of Commander Lucrezia Noin Peacecraft behind her. Remaining seated she motioned with her hand to a nearby seat while her second in command walked over to stand by her side protectively. Eve didn't appear to have suffered during her brief captivity, Keyda thought as she studied Eve out of the corner of her eye while she watched Noin take the seat facing her. She was pleased to know that Preventers wouldn't have to be punished later for harming Eve in any way. "I'm afraid that most of my staff is asleep but I think we could round up something if you're thirsty or hungry, Commander."

"I'm fine, thank you. What are you doing here?" Noin asked getting right to the point as she stared at Keyda calmly with her emotions well under control now that she'd arrived and seen who she was up against. Of all the people she'd thought she might have to face she hadn't really though Keyda would be the one. Looks like she was wrong. Again.

"Well you wanted answers and since I'm the one in charge I was the logical person for you to see. I must say I thought you of all people would have caught on sooner, especially since I was the one who picked Eve up from the Chang residence in China a while back." Keyda said as she leaned back in her chair. "Given what I know about you and the people you work for I thought you guys would have made the connection. Then again you likely thought I was working for my grandfather and that they belonged to him perhaps? A rather ignorant assumption but understandable if it was a thought held by someone who didn't know me well." 

)

"You're in charge? The hantas work for you?" Noin said looking from Eve to Keyda. The girls had to be about the same age and yet they were responsible for everything? My god they were barely over the age of twenty and they'd done all this? It was true, they'd thought Yamachi was involved with this and Keyda by association. They'd never thought that she'd gone off by herself and pulled this all off without her grandfather's help.

"Yes. You were expecting someone else obviously. Well seeing as it's very early in the morning and I do need my sleep I'll get right to the point, Noin. What Eve, Darius and a carefully selected few have been doing was for your own protection as we've tried to get across since day one. My grandfather is trying to kill you and your sister-in-law, we've been doing our best to get in the way and prevent that from happening. We didn't estimate the amount of firepower he was willing to use; otherwise you would never have known we were there. When we realized that he'd had people infiltrate into Preventers it became necessary to find out who which led to the breaking into Preventers. We needed access to their computers to get evidence. If that other idiot hadn't broken in you'd have never known the hantas existed much less nearby watching over you." Keyda said wanting to make that perfectly clear, thinking again how lowering it was to know that such a small thing had ruined or if they were lucky had nearly ruined everything. "None of my soldiers are a threat to you and the majority of the Preventers that work for you. What damage we've done we did because it was necessary to insure your survival and ours. There's nothing we've done that involves Preventers that I cannot justify. With me so far?" Eve asked as she waited for that to sink in. She'd have preferred not to have told Noin anything but too many things were working against them now. Too many holes in the wall that weren't being filled quickly enough.

"Your grandfather's trying to kill Relena and I? But why just us?" Noin asked as her quick mind processed the information and compared it to her own findings. What Keyda was saying made sense but there were too many holes yet to be sure. It didn't surprise her that she and Relena were on Yamachi's hit list, it was a given that Yamachi hated them both but why aim for only them and waste so much time and money to do it? What had they alone done to piss him off so much that he'd go to such extremes. If the hantas were having problems with them that meant seriously trained bad guys that likely costed seriously high amounts of money. Yamachi loved money too much to spend it foolishly. So what the hell was going on? 

)

"If you were to hazard to guess who would be the one person on this planet that my grandfather hates above all else..who would you guess?" Keyda asked casually, swinging her foot back and forth slowly as she waited for Noin to connect the dots, adding a little helpful push.. "Someone who betrayed his trust and the trust of Treize when his true identity was revealed as well as his intentions?"

"Milliardo...you're talking about my husband...aren't you?" Noin said slowly as understanding dawned on her. She knew how much Yamachi hated her husband because she'd heard the bastard describe in vivid detail what he'd like to do to Milliardo. But why? Why wasn't he the target unless...  



	19. Always Hunted

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the plot lines. Everything else belongs to someone else so Merry Christmas and don't sue me lol. Anyway hope ya enjoy and please review. 

Always Hunted 

"Exactly. That's why only the two of you were marked as targets and why you would have ended up beaten, raped and chopped into little pieces to be delivered to your husband like a Christmas present. He wants Zechs to suffer and he wants it to be very slow and painful. One body part delivered at a time." Keyda said and wondered if maybe she shouldn't have gone into such fine detail given Noin's rather white appearance with a tinge of green. "So far we've obviously managed to prevent that from happening but I'd be lying if I said it was easy."

"That son of a bitch." Noin swore suddenly followed by every single four letter she'd learned in her twenty-six years on earth. "I'll kill him." She added not caring that the man in question's granddaughter was in the room. "He's a dead man."

"Given that you haven't been able to catch him much less kill him in the past you should realize that the chances of that happening are very slim." Eve commented for the first time as she stood straight and tall beside Keyda's chair. Noin was a fool if she thought she stood a chance.

"Why are you helping us?" Noin said locking eyes with Keyda, needing something to focus on other then her need to slowly peel off Yamachi's skin while he was still living. "Why are you risking his wrath to help us? Family doesn't mean anything to him, killing you wouldn't bother him in the least. I know Zechs was friends with your brother but that wouldn't be enough of a reason so why?"

"Because Trowa asked for my help and I owe him." Keyda said simply not about to say anymore then that. She knew that Preventers knew that Trowa was involved somehow. She wanted it made clear that he hadn't done anything wrong. "For him we risked our lives." 

) 

"Why? What do you owe him for? It must be something big for you all to be willing to risk so much." Noin said thoughtfully, her eyes sharpening. "And he'd have to know you all well, know he could trust you to keep us safe. He would never have intrusted us to you unless he was sure you could handle it." 

"He knows more about us then most." Keyda said with a shrug then seeing no point in hiding it leaned forward. "The hantas are helping you of their own free will, for him. I only passed on the request." 

"Why would they..unless...we managed to find old records about the break out and one of the scientists who survived said that a group of about half a dozen broke into the labs, that they were headed by someone highly trained. That the leader was young with brown hair and green eyes. Was Trowa part of that group? One of the ones who headed it? Did he..did he know someone being held there?" Noin asked with a horrified look on her face. She didn't want to think that someone Trowa cared about had been taken and processed through those hellish labs. 

"No, no one he cared about at that time was there." Keyda said, softening slightly at Noin's obvious affection for Trowa. She was glad to see his friends were so loyal. "But yes, he headed the group I formed to get them out. My grandfather had taken me to the lab in China, you see. I'd seen the children, seen what was being done to them. And I knew they were all going to be killed after fighting so long and so hard to survive. So I got them out...and those like them. I understand you had a visitor tonight, a real fan of the hanta project. He's been working very hard to try to slip into his father's bloody shoes." 

"Yes we did. Darius told you about that?" Noin said, figuring that was the most likely answer even though she hadn't even seen Darius to mention it to him. 

"We've been monitoring him since he came into the country. Where he goes death tends to follow quickly enough." Keyda said with a cool smile, well aware that at that very moment the young fanatic was getting a taste of the pain he'd inflicted upon others. "Unfortunately there will always be people like him. Morals can vary so much from person to person." 

)

Seconds later as Noin was absorbing the simple comment a loud beeping noise sounded and Noin could tell from the looks on Keyda and Eve's faces that it wasn't good. Both rushing out of the room, quickly followed by Noin, they came to a stop in the front stairway where large windows flaked the large oak doors. Looking out the windows they could see several military trucks driving up the lane in the dim outdoor lights. The people rushing out to stop them were being shot down like animals, like a person brushes off a stray hair.

"He know." Keyda said softly as she watched the trucks approach knowing that her grandfather had finally learned of her actions. "And he's come to see us pay."

"We'll take down as many as we can." Eve said softly, knowing that there was little chance that they would be leaving the house alive. Good-bye Quatre, she whispered to him mentally as she turned around and hollered for J.C. and Darius, telling them to arm themselves as they came running down the stairs. Today was as good a day as any to die.

) 

An Hour later 

Taps had been put on Trowa's phones in the house he lived in when he was in the area. There were also trained soldiers watching the house, waiting for him to leave but Trowa had yet to even appear at one of the windows much less try to leave. Of course if he did few had little doubts that he would spot and lose the tails easily enough. As there was nothing else to do everyone crammed into the room that had been set up solely for monitoring their friend. "In coming message to him now. Tracking call." Heero said as he broke the silence in the room, setting the dials on audio as everyone came closer to hear better. 

"Barton, yes?" Came Trowa's rather sleepy voice though there was an alertness to it that he never lost." 

"It's Annalise. Yamachi knows and he came after us. he has Keyda." Came a female voice, apparently named Annalise. "We held them off as best as we could but there were just too many of them. The house is full of bodies as it is." 

"What...they have Keyda? They took Keyda!" Trowa demanded, his voice ringing with fury and fear now, any traces of sleep gone in a blink of an eye. 

"Yes. Eve, Darius, J.C. and others went after them. Myself and four others also stayed behind in case they decided to come back for the survivors. Keyda was obviously the goal though. He'll want to make her pay the piper himself. What are your orders, Trowa?" Annalise asked in a calm and collected voice. 

"I'm on my way there. The children are all alright? Elizabeth?" Trowa wanted to know, his voice mixed with the sounds of rustling that were from changing into more appropriate attire. 

"The children were automatically brought to a sealed location, Elizabeth was wounded as she was used to force Keyda's surrender." Annalise replied, looking over at the people in question. Elizabeth was lying on a couch while the children circled her protectively. They saw it as their duty to protect their grandma. 

"All right, I'll be there in under twenty." Trowa replied then hung up the phone, Annalise doing the same. 

"I've got the coordinates. It's a house about fifteen to twenty minutes from here." Duo said with a grim look on his face. 

"Lets go." Heero said as he got up, ordering the girls to stay behind except for Sally. Ignoring him Lady Une insisted on going and soon they were all piling into Preventers vans, all of them armed. 

) 

Nearly missing the driveway they pulled in to see gates that had been smashed through, two men lying dead in the middle of the road having been run over. Cursing under their breaths Heero and Duo got out, each dragging a body off the road then taking their jackets off placed them over the men's faces. It was all they could do for now. Driving up the driveway they found the grounds littered with more bodies. Pulling to stops everyone got out and looked at the carnage, the front yard littered with bodies, weapons and broken glass from the house windows. The door had been broken off its hinges. They were all set to go in when a car came speeding up the drive way and with a piercing screech of tires came to a stop, Trowa getting out in one swift movement having not bothered to wear a seat belt. "Enjoying the fruits of your labors?" Trowa asked coolly before taking off running into the house, the others following. 

"What do you mean the fruits of our labors? Trowa, we didn't do this." Quatre demanded to know, keeping time with Trowa through sheer will. 

"If you hadn't been so busy sticking your noses where they didn't belong Yamachi would have never looked her way." Trowa bit off as he reached the top of the stairs, jumping over the bodies that littered that area. Everyone silent they followed him through the carnage to a dead end, everyone quietly watching as he took a painting off a wall to reveal a control panel which required retinal, voice and fingerprint scans before the wall separated. Walking through with their guns ready the pilots were stunned at the sight before them. Five adults stood like a wall, their hair different colors but all streaked with white, their guns pointing at them till Trowa nodded at them, telling them it was alright to move. As the five moved away a small figure dressed in blue pajamas came running to Trowa followed by six more, all in pajamas, all between the ages of three and five. They ran to Trowa, locking onto his legs like leeches, all looking up at him as though he were their salvation. 

"Daddy, bad men came and took Mommy." One of the older ones announced seriously, the voice more of an adult's then a little girl. "Everyone tried to stop them but there were just too many and no one would give us guns." 

"That's because you're not allowed to even hold a gun until you're ten, remember." Trowa said softly as he crouched down so that he was closer to them, the children forming a circle around him now, leaning against him for support and comfort. "Elizabeth, how are you holding up?" Trowa wanted to know after he'd given each of them a hug. 

"It's my fault." The woman said weakly, Sally already there tending to the woman who was obviously hurt. "Keyda would have gotten away if they hadn't caught me. If I hadn't made her bring me along....now my baby is going to die. He's going to kill my baby just like he killed my boy, my little boy." Elizabeth said with tears streaming down her face that had nothing to do with the pain of having Sally studying the bullet wound in her arm. "You have to save her, Trowa. You have to get my baby back." 

"I'll get her back. Did they say where they're taking her, Annalise? Any of you?" Trowa asked as he got to his feet, absently telling the children to stand guard over their grandmother which prompted them to rush back to their original positions, several eyeing Sally suspiciously. 

"His island, he'll take her to the island." Elizabeth said weakly, knowing in her heart rather then in her mind that that was where Yamachi would want to end her baby's life. "She always hated that house, called it Purgatory. That house was evil she use to say. He'll take her there, end it there because he knows how scared she always was of it. That's where the others went looking." 

) 

"That fits, Trowa." One of the males in the group said, his black hair streaked with white in what was natural now rather then a fashion statement. "One of the men Eve took with her said he heard Keyda mutter something about meeting her end in Purgatory." 

"Okay." Trowa said with a nod then finally remembering that his friends were there turned to face them, noticing they all looked more then a little shell shocked. "I need you guys to take the children and Elizabeth back to the house with you. These five will go with you too to see to their protection. Will you do it? It will be dangerous because there are plenty of people hunting them at the moment and they won't think anything of killing any of you to get them." 

"Of course we'll take them, Trowa. You can count on us, man." Duo said softly, his eyes on the children. Somehow he knew that these were the children that bastard had been talking about earlier, the children that had been taken from the labs. These little kids had been experimented on, likely put in extreme amounts of pain and had lord only knows what else done to them. These little innocent faces had known cruelties most people went their whole lives never knowing even existed. God but what a world they lived in. "But don't you want us to go with you?" 

"No, this isn't a fight you'd be of use in but thanks for offering." Trowa said, his face softening just a bit before going back to its former hard mask. "I'm trusting you with my children, don't fail me." Trowa said, his eyes flashing slightly before he headed out of the room leaving everyone behind. 

) 

"You're the lady they talked about." Everyone turning to see who'd broken the silence they saw that it was the girl who'd called Trowa Daddy earlier. "You're Lady Une. You helped fund the original hanta project. The scientists talked about you. They said you'd give them lots of money so that they could make more of us." 

"No, no I'd never give them money to do that." Lady Une said as she looked at the children with pain and sadness clearly on her face. "I give you my word on that. If anything I'll give people lots of money to stop them from doing this ever again." 

"Daddy said you wouldn't, that you learned your lesson. Aunt Eve said that she didn't trust you as far as an ant could throw you. An ant couldn't throw you at all." One of the boy's said as he shook his dark head. "But Mommy said if you did try to help them they'd stop you." 

"We need to get her to a hospital." Sally said briskly, her heart breaking over these children even as she tried to remain level headed. "The bullet went straight through but she's lost blood and she needs more." 

"We're supposed to take care of her, Annalise and Daddy said." The girl from earlier again spoke, the leader of the group everyone was beginning to see as she turned to glare at Sally. "Right, Annalise?" 

"Right but you guys aren't doctors and your Daddy would want you to get her to the hospital." Annalise said in a soft voice the guys recognized from the phone tap. She was about the pilots' age with long, curly brown hair with one long streak of white in her hair that reminded Duo of Rogue from X-men. "So we need to collect your stuff and then get out of here like your daddy said, Kisa. I need you to take command okay? You know the drills." 

"Okay." Kisa said with a nod then marching away she stood in front of the children with the pilots at her back. "Everyone get your partner and lets see a straight line. NOW!" Instantly the other six children rushed over to form perfect lines of two. "Lets see those hands." Joined hands were lifted up to prove they were holding hands. "All right then, here's your orders." Kisa said sounding like a military general. "Don't bother to change, go back to your rooms and gather all the stuff you need, only what you need or can't leave behind. Myself, Yuki, Hatori, Hiiro and Arisa will then report to the vault and retrieve our medication and the rest of yours. Haru and Hana, you two will then remain with grandmother until such time as we arrive at the hospital and make sure the location is secure. Any questions?" Kisa added as she spun on her heels to look at the pilots, her eyes just daring them to contradict her. "Some of you will need to come with us to the vault to carry." Kisa added as an after thought. 

"Okay. Oh and was there another woman here. One with short purplish black hair and similar eyes?" Milliardo asked with urgency in his voice, the shock wearing off enough for him to think more clearly. "Her name is Lucrezia Peacecraft? Noin?" 

"Yes. She was here. She went with the other to find Keyda." Another girl, Arisa spoke up, a thoughtful look on her face as she twisted a finger in her curly pigtail. "She said it was payback time and to tell her husband Milliardo not to worry if we saw him or one of her friends." 

"Was she hurt?" Heero wanted to know even as Milliardo let out a sigh of relief. 

"She gots banged up but she was okay." The smallest boy, Haru called out. "We should go now." 

) 

Soon everyone was given a job and the children were soon filing down the hallways towards their rooms. The pilots walked along side them, all the pilots trying to steer or block the children's' views of the bodies that littered the floor. "You don't have to do that you know." One of the males, a man of about eighteen said. "To these children the dead are constant companions. They've been surrounded by death since the day they took their first breaths." 

The pilots not knowing what to say to that Duo almost gave a yelp when he felt a small hand slid into his. Looking down he saw the smallest girl in the group looking up at him with a hesitant smile on her face, as if to ask if it were okay to hold his hand. Squeezing it Duo kept her hand in his which made the girl beam up at him before turning her attention to walking up and over a fallen soldier as though she climbed over dead every day. "That's Hana, she doesn't speak." The one called Annalise said, noticing that the girl had taken Duo's hand. "She has a thing for long haired guys." 

"Do none of these children have parents other then Trowa and Keyda?" Quatre wanted to know as they simply followed the children since they were the ones who knew where they were going. The little girl. Kisa was leading the way and Quatre would imagine she'd make one hell of a soldier one of these days. 

"No. They were purchased from their mothers while they were still in the wombs. I'm Matthew by the way." The man with the black and white hair said before calling out to the children to pick up the pace which they did. "The scientists in this case went to pregnant teen mothers who were planning to abort their fetuses rather then continue with their pregnancies. After checking over the fetus for health and the background of the child's parents they paid for the fetuses, had them removed then grew them to term in their labs. The fetuses were all altered as they grew, to make their bodies better able to withstands the medications and alterations they wanted to make. Behold, the perfect little soldiers." Matthew said softly as he motioned to the seven children marching along, the littlest one still holding tight to Duo's hand. 


	20. Left In The Dark

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the plot. Everything else is someone else's and I thank them for allowing me to borrow lol. As always I hope you enjoy and please review cause I'd love to hear from you. 

Left In The Dark 

"So we can pretty much expect this place to be guarded like a regular Fort Knox right?" Noin said dryly, ignoring the twinges in her arm where a couple of bullets had grazed by in rapid succession earlier. Damn but it was an annoying little pain though it would and could have been a hell of a lot worse if Darius hadn't body chucked her out of the line of fire when he had. 

"Oh ya, or worse." Eve said dryly, wounded in several areas though they had yet to slow her down. Her body was use to pain and it was like a fuel for her anger and determination. In other words she was pumped and ready to go. 

"It might not be though." J.C. pointed out thoughtfully, holding an ice pack to the side of Darius's head where a large bump was giving his friend a massive headache of major proportions. "Yamachi is pretty damn arrogant after all. Whenever he's slipped up in the past it was because he got too over confident about something and let things spiral out of his control. This is his lair, his secret retreat, his special place. Odds are it's one of the few places he feels really safe and invulnerable in. That could mean he's more lenient in security because he doesn't think it needs it. He doesn't want to believe it's needed." 

"Thus speaks the University geek." Darius said weakly, his head pounding to the extreme. This was the problem with being immune to the effects of almost every damn drug on the market, you couldn't take any damn aspirin when you needed it to get rid of a headache. "And, Eve? I'm starting to see two of you and it's freaking me out. One of you is bad enough." 

) 

"Well that answers the question as to whether he has a concussion or not." Noin said dryly though there was concern for her friend on her face. "Maybe he should stay behind, he could get himself killed easily if he's not up to it, especially if it's as bad as you're thinking it's going to be, Eve." 

"He'll be fine by the time we get there." Eve said, dismissing the idea of leaving him behind. They couldn't afford to do it even if it was necessary. 

"We just received word from Trowa." A voice over the speakers of the carrier came. "He's on his way and he'll meet us there. he request that you wait for him since he's not far behind." 

"Roger that, we'll wait." Eve said, trusting Hunter to relay that to Trowa. "Better he's with us then us meeting up somewhere accidentally and not recognizing the other." Eve explained to Noin dryly. 

"Gotcha." Noin said with a nod, understanding Eve's meaning. The last thing they needed was friendly fire going on. "Milliardo is going to be so pissed off at me when he finds out about this. I hope he got the message I left with the kids." Noin said, just to start a conversation that was a little lighter then making war plans. "Do all those children live there then?" 

"They live where ever Keyda is at the moment. They go where she goes basically." Darius said with a weak smile, the headache starting to tone done by a couple decimals, thanks partially to the fact that his head was going numb from the ice. "Her seven little dwarves as we affectionately dubbed them." 

) 

"That's cute." Noin said with a delighted laugh, the idea appealing to her. "I couldn't imagine having seven children though, it must be unbelievably hardwork." 

"Well we all help when we can." J.C. said with a boyish grin as he loaded the gun in his hand. "They're all really good kids once you get to know them. They may seem pretty tough and grown up all the time but really they're just extremely intelligent children who've had a serious reality check already. Kisa's the hardest to win over though." 

"She was the one who took charge of the other children when we were herding them into the secure area right?" Noin asked curiously, having noticed that the girl seemed to be quite the little commander. 

"Yup, that would have been Kisa. The head of the labs where she was kept viewed her as a sort of favorite and she's use to getting her own way. Out of all of them she's the smartest and the bravest so she was natural leader material I suppose. She can be pretty bossy but she's a good kid who wants to be Trowa when she grows up. She's even tried to gel her hair into being like his once though it didn't work so well." J.C. said with a chuckle as he recalled the mess Kisa had made in that little endeavor. "But she did look kind of cool." 

"Like a cross between Cher and Elvis." Eve said with a faint smile, remembering it well. "We get out alive we have pictures." 

"Well then we better get out of this alive so that I can see them." Noin said with a nod, smiling at the strange motivation as the call came over the speakers that announced that they'd arrived at their destination. 

) 

Soon after they'd retrieved the survivors from the mansion the Preventers delivered Mrs. Yamachi to the Preventers personal hospital with all the children insisting on coming in to make sure that their grandmother was going to a safe place where she was protected from her father in law. Once she was settled and the damage repaired as much as possible Heero and Milliardo stayed by her bedside to guard her while the others all went home with the children to put them to bed. 

Alone with the woman who was still conscious Heero and Milliardo both came to attention when there was a knock on their door. When the visitor was identified as Lady Une she was allowed in and thanking them walked over to take the seat Heero offered her. "It's been a while, Emily." Lady Une said softly as she leaned over to take Emily's hand, squeezing it encouragingly. 

"Seems like decades sometimes, Anna." Emily replied, her gaze settling on Lady Une's for a moment before going to Heero's, her voice going pleading. "Please understand..Trowa..Trowa hasn't done anything wrong. He was just trying to protect them you see...protect them from everyone." 

"Protect them from me?" Lady Une said softly, a hint of knowing in her voice. 

"And from you. But many others as well. The children..they're always being hunted, always in danger from everyone. Trowa needed their help..but it was necessary for him not to tell anyone who he was getting the help from." Emily said with a sad look on her face, the physical pain almost as painful as the emotional. "He saved them you see. Saved them from the labs." 

) 

"It was Trowa that broke into the labs and stole Eve and the rest?" Milliardo said as he leaned closer, eager for any little bit of information that could help them find Noin. 

"Yes. He'd met Keyda earlier, on a mission to steal documents from the house. She helped him escape and then when that..that bastard forced her to go to the labs, to show her what was being done..she went to Trowa to ask him for help. To help her go in and save the ones left. He's been helping them ever since." Emily said with a faint smile, her fondness for Trowa obvious. "He loves my girl, you know. They love each other so much but it couldn't, can't be, not while Yamachi is still alive. He'd never allow her to be married to someone with Trowa's connections or background. We aren't powerful enough to stand against him, we've never been even in the best of times. And so he kills us in his search for power and a world order to his liking." 

"We knew there had to be an explanation. Thank you for giving it to us." Heero said softly, nodding his head in thanks though he hadn't really needed an explanation to begin with. He had enough faith in Trowa and what he'd seen already. "And I'm sure Trowa will bring her back, Mrs. Yamachi. He never fails when it comes to a mission." 

"He's a good boy." Emily agreed before turning her head to look at Milliardo knowingly. "And I remember how strong Noin is, Milliardo. Don't worry so much, she'll be back just as my daughter will be. She's in good hands. Eve may not be many things but when it comes to a fight there's no one better to have on your side." 

) 

Staring at the two beds put together Quatre couldn't believe that all seven of them fit. They'd insisted on all being together and so he and Duo had put two beds together and now all of the children were under the covers, in their pjs, with expecting looks on their faces. 

"It's time for our bed time story." Kisa informed them as she pointed to the small portable CD player that she'd set on the night table before getting in with the rest. "Could you press play please." 

"Sure, but you know Quatre or I could read to you if you want." Duo pointed out as he walked over to turn the machine on. "He has lots of books here that he reads to his nieces and nephews when they come visit." 

"Thank you for the thought but we always listen to Daddy read us a story before we go to sleep. He records them for me on CD so that we can always listen to him read even when he's not here." Kisa explained patiently even as she snuggled under the covers. This was her favorite time of the day, only topped when her Daddy was actually around to play with her. 

"Okay then." Duo said and was rather surprised when moments later Trowa's voice came over the speakers telling them that tonight they were going to hear the story of the Elves and the Shoemaker. Raising an eyebrow he looked over at the bed where all the children had gone silent, apparently riveted to the story as they closed their eyes and snuggled in, one huge row of content little kids listening to their Daddy tell them a story. "He's got a really nice bedtime story voice." Duo whispered to Quatre with a smirk on his face. Boy was he ever gonna rib Trowa about this later. If there was later, Duo thought soberly as his smirk slipped slightly from his face. 

"Yeah, he does." Quatre agreed, his eyes never leaving the children as they lay there, so small and innocent looking, deceivingly so. These children had never been given the opportunity to be innocent. "Let's head out, let them go to sleep." 

) 

A few hours later Duo leaned over the car engine, fiddling around with it as he thought about things. Unable to sleep he'd figured it would be morning soon anyway and had decided to do something constructive instead. It was impossible to sleep when your mind was going a mile a minute after all, Duo thought dryly as he absently wiped his hands before going digging into his tool box for the right sized wrench. Finding it Duo went back to his fiddling then froze, sensing, rather then seeing that someone else was in the room. Straightening Duo looked around, his eyes seeing the pink nightgown before trailing up to see little Hana, the girl from earlier watching him silently, a large stuffed rabbit in her arms. "What are you doing here?" Duo asked dumbly, for a moment forgetting that she didn't speak. Once he did he mentally called himself an idiot before wandering over, hunching down to her level. "Okay, we're going to try the head shake thing. Can't sleep?" A nod for yes. "Are you lost?" A head shake for no. "Were you looking for something?" A nod for yes and a finger pointed in his direction. "You were looking for me?" Another nod for yes. "Oh." Duo said, not quite sure what to say. She'd stuck by his side as much as possible but he hadn't realized she liked being around him this much. Then again apparently it was his hair she liked, Duo thought with a small smile. "You shouldn't be down here, especially without shoes on. I'll take you back to bed okay?" Duo said as he held out a hand to take her back himself so she wouldn't get lost. 

Instead of taking it Hana pulled out a small notebook and pencil from her nightgown's large side pocket and wrote something before handing it to Duo. 

) 

Taking it Duo read the message and had to gap as he stood up straight to read it better. The kid was only three years old but she had perfect spelling and printing. "Dear, Mr. Duo." The message began. "Please let me stay with you. I can hand you tools and stuff, I promise not to be a bother. Sincerely, Hana. Boy....you print better then I do." Duo mumbled as he looked at the girl who was watching him expectedly. "But won't the others miss you?" 

"If you watch her I'll go back and tell the others." A voice came from the doorway and Duo looked to see the boy named Haru watching them, also in pajamas. "But if she's bothering you I'll make her come back with me." 

Looking down at Hana Duo felt his heart literally melt as she looked up at him expectedly, her big blue eyes shining pleadingly, as though this were the most important thing to her in the whole world. How the hell was he supposed to say no? "Uhmmm..no, it's fine, she can stay here. You go back to bed, kid and I'll bring her back when we're done here." 

"All right. Be good, Hana and don't get in the way." Haru said sternly before disappearing once more leaving Duo and Hana alone again. 

"Well I guess we better get to work huh." Duo said as he handed her back her notebook which she returned to her pocket where she'd already stuck the pencil. Holding out his hand he smiled when she took it and soon he was back to work on the car with Hana sitting on a stool beside his toolbox, her lower half wrapped in the blanket Duo kept in his car for cold weather. Needing another tool Duo was about to get it himself when he remembered her comment in her note. Always curious Duo turned and held the wrench out to her. "Can you get me one of these a size smaller, Hana?" Beaming like she'd just been offered a box of chocolates Hana took the tool, looked at the size then went riffling through the tool box, handing him the correct tool with a wide grin. "Thanks, kiddo." Duo said with a smile and went back to work, Hana watching him intently the whole time except when she was retrieving things for him. 

) 

The battle that took place on the head of the Yamachi's family estate was a long and bloody one that was a mini war in its self. The casualties on both sides were numerous but in the end it was Trowa's gun pressed against the old man's forehead and it was his bullet that went flying through Yamachi's head, ending the man's life and his bloody control over those connected to him. Reduced to nothing more then an unrecognizable bloody corpse he would never again darken the door of anyone's room. Retrieving their dead, dying and wounded Trowa and Noin saw that those who were savable or just hanging on were transported immediately to hospitals for care while the dead were sent back to their loved ones if they had any or like many were sent home to Keyda's hometown where they awaited proper burial when they're friends were able to attend their funerals. In an ironic twist of fate many that Yamachi's men would have killed survived due to the resistance to death their time in labs being experimented on had fostered, an irony they appreciated. Yamachi's dream army had laid siege upon his home and this time they'd been the ones leaving under their own steam. Many by the same token were untreatable and so they were simply laid in beds, comforted by their less wounded colleagues as they toughed it out as their body healed its self slowly over time. Keyda had been retrieved in the early stages of the siege but due to her injuries had been smuggled out of the estate and onto a plane out of there before the real fighting even started. Hooked up to countless tubes and machines now the operating team that had worked on her had lost her twice on the table only to bring her back through sheer stubbornness and will. Now in a coma she was expected to wake up from word was sent to her mother with the news though whereabouts weren't given. J.C. and Darius both pulled through as well, sustaining injuries that weren't overly fatal which meant they were back on their feet in days though Darius wasn't going anywhere without crutches for a while. Eve however wasn't so lucky and since there was nothing the doctors could do for her she remained in a coma of her own, her future unknown. 

) 

Almost a week after the massacre at Keyda's estate Milliardo received a short text message telling him to be at the Kimiki Airport at 3 pm for a special delivery he needed to pick up. What he was supposed to pick up and why wasn't said but as he stood there, impatiently waiting he could only pray that it was her. His eyes scanning the crowd every five seconds he felt his heart lurch and flip when he caught sight of a familiar face in a sea of others. Weaving through the crowd he was able to get glimpses of her, looking beautifully alive in a purple and black sundress as she weaved towards him as well, a huge smile on her beautiful face. And then she was there, standing in front of him before she hurled herself into his arms, his own closing around her tightly as he cradled her gently against him, his head resting on top of hers. 

"Hey." Noin said softly, nuzzling her face against his neck. "Prompt as usual I see." 

"God but I missed you." Milliardo said as he held her a little tighter, his world finally settling now that she was here. "Don't ever scare me like that again." 

"Well I hope I never do either." Noin said as she held him tighter, ignoring the slight pain his hold was causing as it pressed against her various wounds. "And I missed you too." Noin said as she drew away long enough to smile up at him brilliantly, tears shining in her eyes. "And we really appreciate you picking us up." 

"We?" 

"Ya, the doctor had some surprising news for me after he was done looking me over." Noin said with a laugh as she wrapped her arms around her husband's neck. "Turns out I was fighting for two lives out there, Daddy to be." 


	21. Only You, Quatre

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the plot lines of which have been featured through out this fic, those I copyright as mine. As always I hope you enjoy this update and I look forward to hearing from you. 

Note: I cried writing this so beware, this is a pretty emotionally charged chapter and if you cry, know that you weren't alone. 

Only You, Quatre 

A month had passed since Trowa had disappeared without a trace into the early morning on a quest to save Keyda. The pilots had only received short transmissions since then, updates on things and to check in on the children who had become a part of the household. When asked about Eve's condition Trowa could only respond with the same thing every time. There's no change. And so it was that late one night, just before the stroke of midnight, that Trowa broke into Quatre's house and made his way stealthily through the various hallways. As expected he was intercepted on three occasions by his own people but knowing it was him they made no move to halt his progress to Quatre's room. Opening the door carefully Trowa let himself in and made his way over to his friend's bed, standing there for a moment before covering Quatre's mouth with his hand, his friend waking up instantly, his eyes already searching for the one who'd intruded. Once he was sure Quatre knew who it was Trowa removed his hand. "You've improved your security since the last time it was tested. It took me twice as long to get in here." 

"Trowa? What are you doing here? Especially so late?" Quatre wanted to know having taken a quick look at the clock. "You can't mean to take the children now. They need their sleep and knowing them they're just getting to sleep now." 

"No, I didn't come for them. I came for you." Trowa said calmly as he crossed his arms in front of his chest. Personally he thought this was all a waste of time but when Keyda gave a direct order you generally did it or there was hell to pay. "If you'll come that is. I won't force you." 

#)# 

"Take me where?" Quatre wanted to know as he sat up fully in bed, trying to wake up completely after an exhausting day. 

"To Eve. She won't wake up, Quatre. We've tried everything we can think of, everyone's talked to her and tried to coax her out of the coma. Nothing. Darius thinks that maybe she'll listen to you." Trowa said calmly though personally he doubted very much Quatre would be of any use in this. Eve was lost to them and he didn't think anyone talking to her was going to snap her out of it. But he'd promised Keyda he'd do this and so he was here. "I'd have come at a normal time but I figured it was best if the children didn't see me here. They'd want to come back with me and it's not safe for them, not yet anyway." 

"Of course I'll come." Quatre said as he pushed back the covers, sitting on the side of the bed as he looked at Trowa carefully. "If you think it will help." 

"Personally I don't think it will make any difference but the females in our group, along with a few male supporters seem to think otherwise. Then again I suppose if I was in a deep coma after a life like Eve's had Catherine and Keyda would probably be the only two that could call me, convince me to come back. J.C. has already tried so I think that leaves you...if everyone is right in thinking she's got a thing for you?" Trowa asked, raising an eyebrow questioningly. He had no idea of the exact status of Eve's relationship with Quatre and to be honest he really didn't want to know. The last thing he wanted confirmed was that he'd pushed the woman destined to break Quatre's heart directly in his best friend's path. 

"To tell you the truth I don't know anymore but I want to come with you. If there's a chance it will help her then I want to do whatever I can." Quatre said as he got to his feet. "Just let me get dressed and throw some stuff together." 

#)# 

Together the two drove to a basically abandoned airstrip. Or at least it looked abandoned but as soon as they came to a stop three people appeared from the darkness, calling out a greeting to Trowa. Soon they were being ushered into a small plane which took off as soon as possible with Trowa taking the controls from J.C. who went to the back to sit beside Quatre for the trip. 

"I really appreciate you doing this." J.C. began once they were in the air. "I know with all your businesses and stuff this has to be inconvenient." 

"Some things are worth a little inconvenience." Quatre said with a small smile as he lifted a hand to silence a yawn. "I just hope I can help." 

"You and me both. Eve is...well she's all that I have left of my family now. My old family anyway." J.C. said with a small smile though there was a deep sadness in his eyes. "We've made a new family with everyone, the kids and the people we work with. But that's not the same thing. You've lost your parents and a sister right? You'd understand." 

"Yes, unfortunately I do." Quatre said as he laid a comforting hand on J.C.'s shoulder. "But I'm lucky, even though I don't have them I still have a lot of other people in my life, quite a few of which are opinionated, stubborn sisters." 

"Yeah, they can be a real pain in the butt, can't they?" J.C. said with a chuckle, pleased to find that he was starting to like this Quatre Winner. Even though he'd just been a child he remembered how easy it was for people to let the spotlight and the power that came with success could change a person. If it hadn't been for his family odds were he would have turned into one spoiled brat. Being born into a family of celebrity singers would have done that to most kids he'd imagine. Quatre had been born into his wealth but apparently he'd kept his feet planted firmly on the ground too. 

#)# 

"So you're her youngest brother right?" Quatre asked hesitantly, not wanting to touch on anything painful. Noin had told them only bits and pieces about the hantas, she'd said that they'd earned the right to their privacy. 

"Yes, my name was Joseph back then. Everyone called me Joey though." J.C. said with a smile, thinking that if this guy was to be anything to his sister he might as well know some things. As it was Eve wouldn't talk about them. "We were one big happy family, a real one even though we were constantly on the road and in the public eye. My parents were great people who loved each other and us more then I can ever say. I only now realize how rare and precious that really is. The greatest gifts we get in this world are often those we don't even realize are gifts, aren't they?" 

"Until we lose them." Quatre agreed quietly, understanding the sentiment exactly. "My father and I fought a lot, especially as I got older. When he died..well there were a lot of things left unsaid that should have been. On both sides. Now I'd gladly forfeit twenty years of my life to bring him back, even if all we did was just argue again." 

#)# 

"Yeah. I was only in the labs for a week, my sister smuggled me out. There was...one of the lab techs there was a big fan of Evie and she managed to bribe him into getting me out. I played dead and was thrown in the truck with all the other dead children for that day to be transferred to a nearby crematorium. That's how they got rid of the evidence. The truck was stopped part way by an arranged roadblock and I was handed over to a former band member that Evie had gotten the tech to get in touch with. Jackson took care of me till Evie came to get me, I was nearly dead by the time she got there but she nursed me back and never left my side, not for a moment." J.C. said with tears glimmering in his eyes though will kept them from falling. "I wouldn't have survived another week in that place, I was never strong like she was. I could never protect her the way I wanted to." 

"But by loving her you saved her." Quatre said, his eyes closed tight as he tried not to imagine the scenes playing out in his mind. Eve had done whatever it took to get her brother out of there making no attempt to get herself out, to selfishly use her influence for her own purposes. She'd been willing to pay any price to see that her brother got out okay. "I think...and I've been thinking about it a lot. I think she's been living for you all these years. I think you are her reason for living. Whenever she talks about her life it isn't with joy or with anticipation of what's to come. She's always so hard and cynical, so sure that this world is going to hell with no hope in sight. And yet she fought and fights to stay alive, even now. She fights not because she wants to live but because she needs to see you grow up and be happy. She needs to protect you..the way she couldn't protect your sister Sarah." 

#)# 

"Our whole family wasn't at our best that day, when they came for us. We'd had a performance the day before and it had started to pour, we all got soaked good and being the professionals that we were we just kept on playing through the rain. You could see we were all headed for cols. When we got to the labs though, Sarah was already feeling sick and I wasn't much better, Evie had a bad headache and was worrying herself sick. She had a feeling in her gut that something wasn't right. They split us up as soon as we arrived, the children under ten and those older. Evie begged to let her go with us, to keep us together but they hit her, back handed her across the face and one of the soldiers dragged her off with the rest of the older kids while Sarah and I held hands and went the other way. Then they separated us by gender and we just couldn't...they tore us apart...that was the last time I saw her." Joseph said, a single tear rolling down his cheek as he remembered his happy, smiling little sister. "After a few days the death toll was huge, kids were dying like flies and the scientists hit on the idea of putting siblings together, that that might increase our will to fight and survive. They went around asking if we had siblings here and I told them I had Sarah and Evie, that I wanted to see them and would do anything, all I wanted or needed was them. I promised not to cry or die, all they had to do was take me to my sisters. So they took me to Evie. We waited and we waited for Sarah to come but she didn't. We begged and pleaded for her, wanting her with us so that we could be together again until our parents came for us. One of the scientists finally told us she'd died the second day, she'd gotten really sick the first night there and since they wouldn't treat her except with their little drugs...her immune system couldn't handle it. That's when Evie cried and then never cried again. That was the day she stopped believing in anyone and anything." 

#)# 

It was sunset when they arrived at the sea coast, landing on the roof of a large house that was surrounded by trees on three sides and the water at the back. From the looks of it the only way to reach the house was by air. Escorted inside the group of men broke up with Trowa heading off to check on Keyda and J.C. showing the way to Eve's room. Stopping in front of it J.C. took a deep breath before looking over at Quatre, a small smile on her face. "I'll leave you alone to talk now. Just give it your best shot, I'm not expecting miracles, I don't believe in them anymore." J.C. said with a shrug before heading off down the hallway, his shoulders and back straight though there was an air of grief around him that was heart wrenching. 

Watching the young man Quatre felt an unbelievable weight drop onto his shoulders that smothered him and made him want to turn and run, run away from all this. He didn't know if he could open the door and go to her, to see her like that after hearing everything J.C. had told him. Who was he to ask her to keep living with that kind of pain and terror in her heart. How dare anyone ask her to keep on living in this nightmare. Wasn't it selfish of him and J.C. to ask her to live for them, to put their well being before her? Every nightmare, every memory a white hot poker to her heart. She had earned the right to let herself go on to what had to be a better place. Then again who wanted to live in a place created by the God who would let his innocent children suffer so. 

#)# 

"She smiled you know." Came a voice and Quatre looked over to see Darius calmly watching him, his young eyes all knowing. "When she was talking or thinking about you. She'd pretend like you didn't but she was happy when she was around you. She doesn't so much around J.C. because she blames herself for not protecting him, a living memory of her failures as she'd view it. But you, you could make her happy and I think that maybe, just maybe you should let her know that you want the chance. In the end it's her choice to make but it couldn't hurt for her to know that there are a few more pros to add on the reason to live list. Just a thought." Darius said with a careless shrug before wincing at the discomfort that caused. 

"How did you know that's what I needed to hear?" 

"Well I am the man." Darius said with a wink, cocky even when his body was in more pain then usual. "We don't know if she can have children by the way. With all the stuff in our bodies...well the scientists figured the females would still be able to reproduce but none of us have had children yet so we don't know for sure. She'll be on medication for the rest of her life though and I can guarantee it's unlikely that she'll get much nicer or less cynical any time soon either. Can you live with that?" 

"She'd be enough and I don't care what she has to do so long as she's happy." Quatre said simply feeling the weight slowly leaving his shoulders, evaporating into the air along with his steadying breath. "Talk to you later, Darius." Quatre added before reaching out to turn the door handle and let himself in, missing Darius's silent salute as Quatre closed the door behind him. 

#)# 

Turning around once he'd closed the door Quatre scanned the room first then forced his eyes to land and center on the bed where a lone figure lay, tucked under a bright blue quilt that suited her somehow. Walking over to the left side of the bed Quatre took a seat on the side of the bed, simply looking at her for several long moments. She looked just as she had the last time he'd watched her sleep, Quatre thought absently as he lifted a hand to brush her bangs back, smiling slightly when they stubbornly shot back into place. She was paler then normal but otherwise she looked like a sleeping girl, not hooked up to anything or showing any sign of injury that would give away her condition. Then again there wasn't any point in hooking her up to something if she was only around through will and drugs didn't affect her. Absently smoothing her covers down Quatre took a deep breath then reaching under the covers pulled out the limp hand from her side, holding it gently in his own as he looked down at her. "Hey you." Quatre began, not entirely sure what it was he was going to say, what words he could say that would reach her in the darkness. "I met your brother, you've done a pretty good job raising him. He loves you to death, you know. No matter what happens though, I'll take care of him for you if he ever needs me and I'll help take care of the other kids too, give Trowa and Keyda a hand if they'll let me. And I...Christ I don't know what I'm saying." Quatre said as he absently ran a hand through his hair, his frustration obvious on his face. "I don't know how to say this so I'm just going to spit it out and hope for the best. I love you and I want you to live. I don't expect the whole wife, kids and a white picket fence, fences are out of fashion anyway. I'll take whatever you'll give me, Eve. I want you in my life, I want it more then anything because we fit, you and I. I haven't known you long and maybe I'm wrong about what our future will be like but I'd like the chance, the chance to try and make you happy. So do what makes you happy, Evie. Do what you want to do. If you want to leave then I'll understand and in sixty years or so I'll follow after you and we can be together then. I'm willing to wait if that's how it has to be. I'll wait a life time for another chance with you." 

#)# 

It was two in the morning when there was a stirring in Eve's room. Her eyelashes fluttering she was aware only of the steady thump, the heartbeat under her ear. Opening her eyes to half mast Eve smiled slowly as she became aware of the feel of being held securely in Quatre's arms, the smell of his skin and shampoo in her nose. She didn't know why he was there or even where there was exactly but she was glad he was there. Closing her eyes again Eve relaxed against him and let herself drift off to sleep once more with the sound of his heart beating under her ear. She'd ask him about it in the morning. 


	22. Ends and New Beginnings

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but my twisted plots and even weirder characters. Everything else belongs to someone else and I wouldn't dream of infringing. That which is mine I copyright and I hope you enjoy this latest chapter and review. Ciao for now. 

Note: Yes, the children's names were taken from Furba or Fruits Basket. It's my favorite anime and an awesome manga which I would recommend to anyone. Congrats to Daydreamer for realizing it, this final chapter is for you. 

Ends and New Beginnings 

Quatre stayed with Eve for a week before he had to go back to Preventers for an important meeting that he couldn't in good conscience skip. During the week he was there Eve was in and out of consciousness, only able to stay awake for a few hours at a time before she was completely worn out. But she was awake and alive. By the time he had to leave her she was eating on her own and could be out and about for short periods of time which eased his mind. He didn't wanted to leave her but the meeting was important and she wouldn't let him skip out on it even if he tried. "You know Relena could handle this by herself. She even said she could." Quatre said as he finished up his packing, looking over to the bed where Eve lay, supposed to be napping. Of course she wasn't and didn't even make the effort to pretend otherwise since her eyes were wide open and she had propped herself up on her pillows. She wasn't the worst patient he'd ever seen but she was someone who didn't like having other people do things for her. She was always reluctant to ask for his help to do anything. 

) 

"No politician in his right mind is going to buy into this proposal if she's the only one there presenting it. She's a nice person and all but she isn't cut out for going for the jugular political meetings. You aren't really either but you're better at it then she is anyway." pointed out dryly, amused and touched at his reluctance to go. He really was all ga ga over her, Eve thought with a small smile. 

"Thanks so much for the vote of confidence." Quatre shot back just as dryly, zipping up his bag before walking over to sit beside her on the bed. "With that kind of support I don't have a doubt in my mind we'll win." 

"You'll win just because you should. That and your pretty face with loads of money for extra incentive to fall into line." Eve chuckled as she smirked at him. "And if you don't I'll come down and straighten those over fed bureaucrats out for you." 

"Since you have problems doing up your shoe laces I can't see that happening any time soon." Quatre pointed out as he lifted a hand to ruffle her already ruffled hair. 

"I can tie my shoe laces just fine, pal. I just like have you kneel in front of me." Eve said with a smirk that grew into laughter when he shot her a surprised and shocked look. "You're very good at doing my laces...and zipping up my coat and helping me get into the bath tub and brushing my hair and...need I continue?" 

"Why you little... I should have known better. It's you after all." Quatre said with a faint blush on his cheeks as he watched her grin at him, having to bite back a grin of his own. He'd been played and played by the best. And here he'd been thinking she had been reluctant to ask for his help. Ha, she'd been playing him like a master. "So you've been playing the weak invalid, have you?" 

) 

"Well I did almost die, I might be weaker then I realize." Eve said with a delicate little shrug though her eyes held a touch of mischief. The truth was she'd liked all the attention and she wanted as much of it as possible before he left. No matter what he or anyone said she couldn't see this lasting and so she wanted as many memories as possible. To have when he left and took her heart with him. Funny, she'd thought she'd lost it all those years ago but here it had ended up in the hands of a sweet, blonde haired do gooder. Talk about your irony. 

"So once I'm gone you're going to make a miraculous recovery and be as good as new?" Quatre wanted to know as he sent her a rueful look, still mulling over the idea that he'd been so easily played. 

"Well not quite. I'm about seventy percent instead of a just fifty." Eve said as she smiled at him then looked over at the clock beside her bed. "And you need to be going or Trowa's gonna come in here and get you. He hates to be kept waiting as you know." 

"Don't I know it." Quatre muttered as he leaned forward for his kiss good bye. Kissing her gently he was surprised and pleased when her arms came around his neck, holding him close in a hold that suggested she didn't want to let him go. Reluctantly breaking the kiss Quatre placed one last kiss on her forehead before pulling her into one last hug. "I'll be back soon, stay in one piece till then, okay?" 

"I'll try but no guarantees. You know me." Eve said as she nuzzled her face into his neck, breathing in his familiar and comforting scent. "Try not to OD on coffee and give yourself a heart attack working too much until you drop." 

"Sounds like a deal." Quatre said as he kissed her on her neck then pulled away, stroking her face with love in his eyes before getting up and heading over to grab his bag. "Now have your nap and get some rest. I love you." Quatre added, looking her dead in the eye before heading for the door. 

"Just remember not to give yourself a heart attack...I didn't give you mine just so that you could kill it." Eve called out to his retreating form. Watching him stop and go still, turning around to look at her with a big grin on his face before saluting her good bye. Watching him stroll out of the room, whistling of all things, Eve had to smile as she closed her eyes and decided maybe a nap wasn't such a bad idea. 

) 

"You know I just realized why their names struck me as so odd." Relena said as she sat beside Heero, watching the children play Red Rover in the backyard with the adults supervising from the back porch. "They're all characters from Fruits Basket." 

"Their names are all kinds of fruit?" Duo said with a confused look as he took a sip of his drink while he kept an eye on Hana who was the smallest of the bunch and the most likely to be trampled accidentally. 

"No, it's a manga and anime series. I read it as a girl actually but it didn't hit me till now." Relena said with a roll of her eyes. "It's all about this family who've been cursed by evil spirits and are doomed to turned into one of the animals of the zodiac whenever they're stressed or are hugged by someone of the opposite sex. The story focuses on this girl who came to live with some of the members of the family and her interact with the other members. It's a really cute but moral story." 

"That features people who were born a little different from everyone else." Sally pointed out thoughtfully, turning the idea over in her head. 

'Exactly." Annalise said from her seat beside Duo. "They were never given real names when they were in the labs and when they were there they were treated like they were the second coming. They all had big egos and severe superiority complexes when we got a hold of them. They didn't want to give up their numbers and they expected to be treated like royalty by everyone. Nothing we said or told them quite got through to them but then Eve suggested that maybe they should use something as an example of how being different doesn't necessarily mean you're any better or worse then others. Keyda hit on the Fruits Basket idea and they actually sat through the whole anime and took turns reading the manga. They liked the idea of people turning into animals but being the bright little buggers that they are they also clued into the idea that even cool abilities have their draw backs. For the zodiac characters they couldn't be hugged by half the population and always had to fear being found out, just like they do. It wasn't their fault they were the way they ended up but it was up to them to decide who they were going to be. That and Tohru, Yuki and Kyo for a role models really changed their way of thinking." Annalise added with a chuckle. "So to show their love of the series they took their names from characters they liked, whether they themselves were like the character or not." 

) 

"Kisa for instance?" Relena said dryly, the head strong leader nothing like the shy and quiet Kisa from the series. 

"Exactly. Kagura would have been the more appropriate choice for her or even Uo but she was stuck on Kisa and once that girl decides something not even God himself could make her budge. Hana fits the character Kisa's shoes perfectly but that wasn't to be. As it was everyone picked out a name and then Hana was left since she didn't say anything as usual. Of the ones left she liked Hana best or at least that's who she pointed to on the list." 

"Well it suited her either way." Came a female voice and everyone turned in their chairs to see Trowa and Quatre walking onto the porch with a young woman between them. Keyda Yamachi. 

"MOMMY! DADDY!" Came screams from the yard and soon all the children were rushing over, hurrying up the porch steps to surround Trowa and Keyda who both got down on one knee so that they could hug all the children, Hana the only one that hung back, her eyes a mixture of happiness and dread. 

"Come here you." Keyda said as she motioned Hana over and slowly the girl came over and hugged Keyda then shocked everyone by breaking into tears, holding onto Keyda 's neck tightly while she cried in great, gulping sobs. 

"Hana." Duo said as he leapt to his feet then stopped in his tracks, realizing it wasn't his place to go over and comfort the girl. Her parents had her now, he thought dimly as he watched Keyda rub the girl's back while Trowa stroked Hana's hair. 

"It's okay, sweetie. It's okay." Keyda said in bafflement, holding Hana close. Her little girl wasn't one to cry over anything and she didn't think this was a simple matter of missing her a lot. Something in Hana's face when she'd stood apart from them, from the others. Something was wrong and that something was why Hana was crying. "What's wrong, baby?" 

) 

"She doesn't want to come home with us." Kisa said matter of fact. She was pretty sure that Hana wasn't going to be coming with them after she explained the whole thing but she had to do what was best for her charge. That's what a good commander did. "That's why she's crying, Mommy. Because she doesn't want to leave." 

"She doesn't want to leave? Why?" Trowa wanted to know. 

"Tell them, Hana." Kisa ordered, her voice hard and commanding. The time had come and she wasn't going to just stand there and do nothing. If you left things up to adults they never got anything done. "If it means that much to you then say it. Tell them what you want. If you can't do that then you don't want it bad enough." 

Mouth quivering everyone watched as Hana looked from her family, over to Duo and then back again. Taking a deep breath Hana opened her mouth. "St...st...st...stay..he..her...here." 

"And why do you want to stay here?" Kisa prompted since all the adults were too busy gapping at Hana to think to ask. 

"D...D...D..Duo...st...stay...w...w...wi.th...Du..o." Hana stuttered, slowly but clearly enough that she could be understood. "Pa..pa...pa..peas. Peas me stay?" 

) 

"You want to stay here..with Duo?" Trowa said in surprise, looking over at his friend who looked just as shell shocked. And not just about Hana talking. 

"Hana." Was all Duo could mange as he stood there in shock, frozen as the girl who never spoke plea. 

"Oh, baby you spoke!" Keyda cried, tears rolling down her cheeks as she hugged Hana close, so happy that her baby was finally coming out of her shell. But in order for Hana to keep doing that...she had to have a reason to. Hana had never spoken before but she was now, was forcing herself to because she wanted something. She wanted it badly enough to peek out of her shell. "You must want to stay with him so much. That you would finally speak. Trowa?" Keyda said as she looked over at Trowa, her eyes questioning. When he nodded she returned the nod. Turning back to a crying Hana Keyda stroked the girl's hair. "Trowa and I love you very much, Hana. You know that. Because we love you so much we want you to be happy and it looks like you won't be if you aren't here. If it's okay with Duo..you can stay here." 

"Peas?" Hana said as she wiggled free, walking over to Duo to take his hand. "Peas..Duo?" 

"I can't cook...I'm not married and I don't know the first thing about raising a kid." Duo began, not sure what to say but knowing he had to be honest. "I'll likely let you run around in horribly clashing clothes, constantly let you have junk food and...and I'd love to have you if you want." 

"Me..have." Hana said as she let go of his hands and through her arms around his waist, latching on tight. "Stay...Duo...al..ways." 

) 

Everyone heading out of the meeting in good spirits a couple days later there were smiles on almost everyone's faces. Wufei, Heero and Milliardo just weren't the happily smiling types after all. "So Duo, how's it working out with Annalise?" Relena asked as she looked over at Duo. As it had turned out Annalise actually lived only an hour away and since she was a scientist made her own hours. So she'd agreed to watch Hana while Duo was at work and he picked her up after work. Now that he had a kid to go home to he was actually leaving at normal work hours and taking the extra stuff home. 

"It's working pretty good. I mean it's a lot of driving but she's a great baby sitter and she can make Hana's medicines so I don't have to worry about that. Heck, Hana's more organized then I am about most things. She even wrote out our grocery list for tomorrow." Duo said with a sheepish look. 

"Well the other kids arrived home safe and sound." Quatre said having received a phone call from Trowa to let him know. "They all miss Hana but they're glad she's with you. They all liked you by the way, including Kisa, Duo. Apparently that says something." 

"Well I got kinda fond of the little drill sergeant myself." Duo said with a chuckle. "So any word when the wedding is going to be? Trowa told me that they've been engaged for years but were waiting until the bastard Yamachi was out of the way to tie the knot." 

"As soon as possible from what I understand." Noin piped up from beside Milliardo who continued to watch her like a hawk no matter how many times she told him to quit it. It was kinda sweet but it wasn't like she was the size of a blimp yet. 

"Yeah, Hana's all excited about the idea. I think we might actually have to go shopping for a dress." Duo said with a man out of his element look on his face. "Any help would be appreciated." 

"I think we girls should take her shopping. Black is not a wedding color." Sally said with a shake of her head, not even wanting to think about what Duo might pick out. "For that matter we'll all help out in the areas of Hana's clothes and room." 

) 

"Your faith in me is touching." Duo said wearily as they walked into the Preventers parking lot. "Anyway I've got to head on over to Annalise's. She gets testy when I'm late and she can be pretty damn scary when she wants to be." 

"Between Hana and Annalise maybe there's hope for him yet." Wufei muttered to Sally who muffled a laugh. 

"And speaking of ladies there's one leaning up against your car, Quatre in lovely looking leather." Heero said with a faint smile as he nodded in the direction of Quatre's car. Everyone turning to look it wasn't hard to figure out who the leather clauded lady was. White hair blowing slightly in the breeze, her eyes hidden with dark sunshades she looked like something out of the Matrix. Wearing a short black leather skirt, a slinky white, silk shirt and a long leather coat she was sexy in black and white from head to high heeled boots. 

"Now if it weren't for the fact that she'd snap my neck like a toothpick I'd whistle." Duo said with a smirk as he waved in Eve's direction, not really surprised when she ignored him. 

"She's still pissed about the tape." Quatre said with a wide grin as he smiled at his friends before saying his good byes. "Well I've got to be going. See you all on Monday." Quatre called over his shoulder as he walked towards his car and his lady. 

"What I still don't get is..why Quatre?" Duo said as he scratched his head. "Of all people." 

"There's nothing a bad girl loves more then corrupting a good boy." Noin said with a feminine chuckle though she knew that wasn't quite it. She doubted anyone could understand those two but them. Maybe that's the way it was supposed to be. "And besides all that...they just fit I think. Damn if they don't." 

) 

"Hey, Blue Eyes, going my way?" Eve drawled as she watched Quatre walk towards her in one of those preppy business suits of his. When she saw him like this she just wanted to mush him up a bit, Eve thought with a small smile as she pushed away from his car to stand up straight. 

"I thought you were supposed to be staying in bed as much as possible, Green Eyes." Quatre drawled back, coming to a stop in front of her. "You're suppose to be relaxing and taking it easy." 

"Well we can get into bed shortly since your meetings are over for the day." Eve shot back saucily, laughing when he turned a bright red at her double meaning. God but she'd missed this. Missed him. And that said to her that she would be an idiot to pull out before he did. If he ever did. Because maybe, just maybe there was one decent guy left in the world for her. So long as it was this one. "So shall we blow this joint?" 

"Sounds like a plan to me." Quatre said as he pulled her into his waiting arms, where she belonged. "So tell me something, Green Eyes. Where are we going?" 

"To our future together, Blue Eyes." Eve said with a wink as she wrapped her arms around out neck, leaning forward for a kiss. "Which starts now." 

THE END 

Thank you to all my readers and I hope you enjoyed this fic. At this time there are no plans to create a sequel but if you are interested leave a review and I'll e-mail you and let you know should I ever decide to. Thanks again and enjoy your day. 


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